Friday, June 18, 2010

There Heeeeerrrrreeeee! (say it like the poltergeist movie)

Well….there was much anticipation…I could hardly stand it.  I took the day off and we drove the 150 miles to Las Vegas to pick up “the girls”.  It is actually only an hour and a half drive if you don’t hit the Las Vegas traffic.

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We arrived early enough for me to sit and people watch for about 30 minutes… there are some interesting people at the Las Vegas airport.

 

 

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  I forgot to charge my camera battery and I wanted to save my shots for “the girls”

 

 

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In between each flight landing the escalators are empty.  Then a flight lands and all of a sudden they are full of people…as Natalie texted me that the “EAGLE HAD LANDED” I got a huge lump in my throat as I stood at the bottom of the escalator.  You see, even though I talk to my daughter almost every day…I haven’t see her or “the girls” in a year since their last visit.  I was really excited this time…

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Then they came…down a different escalator of course!  and they started running towards me…I didn’t know which one to hug first….”OH MY GOSH” “the girls” are so big!

 

the girls 006 My “Madi girl” is all grown up…..in ONE year!  she is in high school now so she is wearing a little eye makeup of course and she has braces now…and her hair is growing out again!  She cut it 2 years ago real short after having waist long hair her whole life…it was a teenager thing to do ya know!

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My six year old “Brookie Cookie” is still the clone of her mother and will always be!  Such a cutie pie!  AHHH where does the time go?  She calls me “Mema”.  Madi calls me “Grammy” or “Grams” for short.  It is just these 2 that have a special name for me.

 

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My “Madi girl” has grown, in height.  She is almost as tall as me.  She has legs that don’t stop!  Legs to be envious of….not like me…LOL  it kills me to think of her getting this mature…she is my first grandchild.

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and where is a picture of my sweet daughter???well here is the back of her as I try and keep up with them as we leave the luggage pick-up.

I cried when we met, I couldn’t stop hugging her.  I mean…..I just couldn’t!  She means the world to me.  She is so smart and pretty and such a good daughter.

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LOL I guess I just was not fast enough with the camera to get her front..anyway she has always hated her picture taken…not like the girls in that way at all…

 

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see  how she turns her face away from the camera….

Well we stopped at “Joe’s Crab Shack” to get some lunch before heading to St. George.  It is a stop we do each time they come to visit.   Funny thing is…we are at a Crab Shack in the middle of the desert!  LOL we laugh about that because the East Cost Crab is much better than desert crab lol!

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Papa (Huhoney) was a sport and put the bib on. So far this is the last photo I have taken.  I know I know, what have I been doing since?  Well unfortunately…working.  Yes, going to work.  For now anyway.  Taking 3 weeks off just isn’t an option for me at this time.  But I will be taking some time off soon.  I imagine this weekend “the girls” and I will be busy doing what girls do.  I just need a day to lay out at my pool and catch up with girl talk.

I love my girls. 

Huhoney is doing alright.  He has a procedure scheduled for July 6th to get the  hole in his heart fixed.  There will be a lot going on that week.  Forgive me if I only drop in occasionally.  I think of my village friends often and I feel so blessed to have your prayers continually in our behalf.

I know everything will go well with the procedure.  The clot remains.  There is risk in everything but we are putting our faith in the doctors and trusting they know what is the best thing to do.

For now……my brain is in vacation mode.  Even though I am at work. LOL

Hugs and smiles across the miles……

Friday, June 11, 2010

Just a few words…

First off, I just want to tell everyone how much I appreciate all of  your kind thoughts, prayers and well wishes on behalf of Huhoney and me.  Yes, they were felt.  ALL of them.  Huhoney is doing well, not all of the Dr. apts.  have been met yet.  He still has an apt. next Monday with the heart Doc.  To see if they think he needs to have the hole in his heart fixed.  Just a minor thing…(we  hope). aug 09 005 His leg is still swollen, that means that the clot is  still there and that his body hasn’t absorbed it yet.  But Huhoney is working on that.  He said he has talks with his body every day to heal and be well.  He misses not doing what he always does…and that is being a BUSY BEE.  He can’t wait to get out on his bike once again…..me too.

July Annie w Nat and girls 005I am looking forward to next week Wednesday when the girls arrive.  My sweet daughter Natalie and her daughters, Madison (now all grown up at almost 15!) and who I won’t recognize  because I haven’t seen them in a YEAR,  and Brooklyn ( age 6, and you know what that means…) will be here for 3 weeks.  Yes it is sad.  I will have to work for some of the time they are here.  But Papa will try and keep them entertained.  The pool will be opened and we will see shows and plays in the evenings.  We will be busy!  After last weeks hot temps of 106 degrees today it was a balmy 86 degrees.  I really am not sure what next week will be like.  Probably HOT.

About a month ago when I was up North for Lauren’s dance recital I drove home alone and stopped on Hwy 36 at a landmark that has been standing for….oh a long long long time.  I have always wanted to stop and take some pictures.  I imagine all of the kids that have stopped here and put their mark on this tall cement building.  In it’s day I am sure it was used a lot by the railroad.  Huhoney said it is a grain silo.  Or was for that matter.  Now it is just an old useless cement building.  Something people stop and wonder about as they pass it by.  I am sure if it could talk….it could tell some interesting stories.

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tower 7

tower 1

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It is a lonely sort of place this silo.  But for some reason it just attracts me and I am so glad I was able to stop this time and take these meaningless pictures…..

Have a wonderful weekend everyone….and thank you again for all your kind thoughts and priceless friendships!

LOVE, HUGS, AND LOTS OF SMILES ACROSS THE MILES….

Friday, June 4, 2010

A memorable weekend

I won’t forget this Memorial weekend anytime soon.   It began with Huhoney coming home from working up North for a week.  He got home around 6 pm Friday evening and we shared a nice dinner out, settled down in front of the t.v. and caught up on a bunch of shows that I recorded.  He was beat down.  Tired.  We decided to make it an early night and sleep in.  Yes, we slept in longer than I we ever do. 

9:15 am Saturday morning I am awakened by Huhoney leaning against the wall, “What’s the matter” I ask, “dizzy” in a slur….I jumped out of bed and ran to his side, “please don’t fall over on me honey, I can’t hold you up, you have to get to the bench” (5 feet away), he manages, Huhoney is disoriented, starts mumbling, his right arm is doing crazy things…he is sweating, mumbling incoherently and is very upset, I try to calm him, it is 9:20 I looked at the clock, pushed him into the bed and ran to our guest bedroom where my nephew and his wife were sleeping (thank goodness), “Kevin please get up and come to our room, uncle Bob is in trouble”, I run to our bedroom where Huhoney is in distress but still sitting up, his arm is moving wildly,  his eyes are glazed and he is scared.  I hold him to my chest and cry, he is also upset, I ask him if he is having chest pains, NOOOO in slurred speech but I can tell he is disoriented and upset, I can also tell that he is not having difficulty breathing,  by this time my nephew’s wife Carrie sits behind him and I run to my closet and throw on some clothes, Kevin is on the phone with 911.  I am calm but scared.  I have to remain calm.  Kevin, turned on the porch light and opened the front door.  I am holding him again and we are both crying, I told him not to worry, everything would be alright.  He was not having a heart attach but maybe a stroke.  I don’t know why I knew, but I did.

They arrive, 5 of them.  2 on the fire truck and 3 in the ambulance, 9:40.  The hospital is 7 minutes away and that is driving the speed limit.  The fire station is 2 blocks away.  What took them so long? 20 minutes is way too long.

I am calm.  I have to be.  He is in their hands now.  They take him away and I finish getting dressed. Sort of.  I quickly make 2 phone calls, to our 2 sons.  My daughter who is in NC is camping out and I am not sure if she has phone service.  I choose not to call and upset her.  She is her daddy’s girl.

I am in the ER now and it is 10 am.  He is stable.  Still can’t control his right arm and touch his nose.  It wasbob hospital 002 determined NOT to give him a powerful drug that has some bad side effects in case of brain bleed.  The doctors are stumped, he has been such a healthy man.  Just had a physical. 

Test are done, no MRI because of the morphine pump he has implanted.   They need to find the source of the stroke.  about 11 am his right arm has more control.  By 11:30 he is able to touch his nose.  All great signs.  No paralysis.  He will not be going home today and will spend the night.  Huhoney is not happy about that.  Too bad I say.

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Off you go…you have a room assigned.  I pull out the trusty ole camera that is always in my purse.  I remind him, ”this is for posterity you know” and start to laugh.  It is a good relief.  We needed to laugh after a good cry.bob hospital 003

My son thinks I am crazy but I don’t care.  The hospital guy thinks I am crazy, but smiles for his picture.  I don’t care what anyone thinks.  I really don’t!

 

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Here we are Huhoney, this will be home today, they said you will probably go home tomorrow…..

 

 

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Brad our son was totally hands on and wanted to take care of his dad, he even did the nurses job and helped him into his bed.  They said it was a nicer bed.  Yeah right.  lol

 

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I have to keep reminding him that this is for the best.  Huhoney hates feeling helpless and not in control.

 

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then there are those silly moments when you can’t get a good picture.  Huhoney has a thing about closing his eyes with a flash…

 

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once in a while I can catch a good one.  Ah how I love this guy!  The one on the left….

image Visitors are always welcome.  Gene Hackman wished him good luck too. (hehehe) well not really but thought I would just throw it in anyway.   He once gave out his autograph to a girl at a truck stop on a paper plate cause she thought he was Gene. LOL

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visitors are always uplifting… especially if they just want to hang out…and feed you peanuts.

 

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Well day 1 went by and he didn’t get to go home… they wanted to know where the source of the stroke came from, duh….I should have been a doctor….his leg is swelling up. bob hospital 018 Nope this hasn’t happened before….are you sure? YES…this hasn’t happened before…bring in the ultra sound cart…

uh yep, there it is, a nice big clot in your leg.  This is day 2 at 7 pm folks.  This is also after 2 physical therapist ran him around the halls at 8 am in the  morning and they finally got the ultra sound guy to come in at 7 pm.  OK we better put him on blood thinners now.  Let’s give him a shot in his tummy.bob hospital2 002   Hmm this doesn’t look good.  So let’s give him another shot in his tummy on the other side.  Oh dear, let’s get another doctors opinion.  A specialist.  Can’t wait to see this guys bill!  Ummm now he has a very swollen sore leg and also a very sore bruised tummy.  No more shots for you big guy.  You are having a reaction…DUH!

After 4 days in the hospital and lots of vials of blood (15 one time) (12 the next)… on the 4th day Wednesday, leaving 001he was bring released after listening to instructions from his nurse Mel.  He decided he didn’t need an escort out of the hospital or a wheelchair either, so we made the great escape on our own.  They will miss him.  He loves to joke with the nurses and has a wonderful sense of humor in spite of all the craziness.

he was one very happy Huhoneyleaving 002  and will probably give me a hard time for posting all of this on my blog….oh well I say…POSTERITY, for the records when we are really old and (he) is grey(er) and argue about what really happened!  LOL POSTERITY. leaving 003 

 

 

 

 

 

 

He was being a smart-al-ick in the above pic.

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GET ME OUT OF HERE AND FAST BEFORE THEY CHANGE THEIR MINDS AGAIN!

 

 

This is a beautiful monument out side of the hospital on the grounds.  I have always loved this tree from the day it was erected.  When you drive by at night it is a reminder of the healing and life that is forever trying to be achieved at this hospital.

tree of life 002 there are thousands of leaves on this tree and the tips of the branches have the fiber optic lights that change colors from red, to purple, green, orange, blue and white.  It is so beautiful and is a great reminder of how beautiful LIFE is!

“The Tree of Light and Life”

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To all of our family and all of my special “Village” friends.  Thank you so much for your well wishes and prayers.  They were felt across the miles.  I was a little preoccupied this week and I apologize for not posting sooner and filling you in on Huhoney’s condition.  He is doing well and it won’t take long for him to be up and running again…well, walking fast…..

Much love and hugs and SMILES ACROSS THE MILES……lindalu