Here I sit... & a note about Papa

Posted on Tuesday, October 7, 2008 at 03:49

I really shouldn't be sitting here at the puter right now.  I have a mountain of laundry to do.  We've been having server problems so I changed email accounts today.  Something that seems like it should be so simple, never turns out that way.  Hopefully we're on a roll now and will be back in the "loop".  I've been neglecting this blog terribly.  We've been so busy since #5's speech classes started.  I finally decided to cut it down from twice to just once a week, I was just getting too tired. 

A typical sasspot moment:  For those of you "family" (the EE's) who won't call us to ask about Papa, shame on you.  His phone number is someone elses now, leave that poor man alone.  I thought I had made it pretty clear that if you need to get a hold of Papa you need to send the letter to us or call us.  It's fine to send things to the nursing home but you must understand that most of the time it ends up here with us anyway because he simply doesn't understand who you are or what anything is really for.  He writes letters like a 5 year old and cannot figure out how to address them properly, and won't let us help him.  Don't expect anything back from him.  He can't understand the simple sentaments on a greeting card and could care less about the pictures.  He didn't understand what the address book is at all and gave it to us along with most everything else you all have sent.  You all are acting just like you did when Grandma Hattie was sick.  You'd only talk to or visit her, then when she passed away you all got mad at my hubby for "not telling you it was that bad", when he kept calling to try to let everyone know what was really happening and you all wouldn't beleive him.  She was in total denial right up to the very end.  I won't go through that one again.  Papa hasn't got a clue there is a thing wrong with him.  He's giving the nurses problems, not wanting to take his medication.  He has basically quit trying to make it to the potty and uses 3 pkgs of depends a month.  If you all don't think we're doing good enough, come get him and take him home with you.  I know you won't because you didn't take care of your own dad.  Why are you treating us like this, like we're such bad people?  You might just consider that you all have 6 siblings, and my hubby is an only child.  He has to do what he thinks is best for his dad, without anyone elses help.  You have no clue, you've never had to do anything on your own, you've always been surrounded by family.  His own cousins won't even come visit him.  Get off your high horses and if you want to know how your uncle is doing, Call his son!   

For those who really care.  Other than being really tired, the rest of us are doing fine.  We went camping out at the farm this last weekend.  We had a real nice time.  Hubby's planning to winterize the camper now.  We're working into a bit of a routine, though I'd really like to see us up earlier.  I've been reading "Pocketful of Pinecones".  It's sweet and inspiring, but makes things sound so simple.  I'm trying to get up the nerve to try reading Charlotte Masson's set next...  It seems like a very intimidating task.  I need to get out the fall decorations.  I still have spring stuff up.  I've also been working on a POOH quilt for the baby.  She just turned 2!  I didn't get it done in time to give it to her for her birthday.  She's sleeping in the toddler bed upstairs with the other girls now like a big girl.  We cut off the legs of the footboard of the crib for her headbord.  I had painted the crib pale green and stenciled a Pooh scene on it when we got it from the 2nd hand store, so it will be really cute witht he new quilt.  She just loves Pooh.  I'd better get to work on laundry and see if I can help #1 with some school.  So much to do....  I'll try not to let so much time fly between posts.

Hug to all (even you silly EE's)

Camping with Papa

Posted on Sunday, June 15, 2008 at 02:37

We took Papa to the lake this weekend.  The children had a blast.  They swam all day yesterday afternoon and rode four wheelers in the evening.  It was Uncle's birthday and he brought them to share with us.  They all have sunburns and we're all tired.  We've decided taking Papa out to eat occationally would be better for him than the weekend with the family, he just doesn't really enjoy himself.  So, I need to get into a routine of making up a casserole and desert on Saturday evening, so we can take it Sunday after church and have lunch with him.  On pretty days, there is a nice park close to the Nursing Home where he can visit with hubby and watch the children play.  Other days we might be able to splurge on Pizza or something.  He will enjoy it better if we aren't having to give him his medication and keep such a close eye on him.  We just tend to get on his nerves.  Other than that, it was a nice weekend, but we had a really busy week, so we are all very tired.  The children have swimming lessons next week and we need to finish up this Wisdom Booklet and get the next one under way.  I'm trying to take advantage of the few nice days we've had to play outside and go swimming, so we've been going light on school the past few weeks.  We're also trying to do some sewing and crafts.  Between that and laundry and dishes, we're basically staying outa' trouble.  God Bless you all!

Home for the weekend.

Posted on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 at 12:05

We brought Papa home for the weekend.  Picked him up Thursday evening after visiting some friends a few hours away.  Friday was busy.  I tried to fit in some school, then we headed into town for the big girls to help clean the church and the littl'ns and I went to the library.  Papa wasn't too happy about having to go with us and pouted about it.  We just can't leave him home alone anymore and he can't understand why.  Anyway, I finally talked him into letting me take him by the coffee shop.  Several buddies were there for him to visit with and he purked up a bit.  Saturday he got pretty grumpy.  There is just so much activity and noise here that he's not used to.  He got really tired.  He said they let him do anything he wants to at "that place".  I told him that was because they don't have little children around to worry about and they have more people to keep an eye on things.  They forgot to let all they're help know we had him and had one helper looking for him for an hour or more before she found out...  One of our neighbors works there and stopped by Sunday morning and gave him a bath.  He really purked up after that.  I was really afraid he would fight us about going to church, but he was ready to go and even participated.  That was so nice.  We came home, had lunch, cleaned up things, then went for a walk and took some pictures.  We had company show up.  They have 7 children.  We stayed mostly outside with them and he took a nap inside.  He just doesn't have much patience for the children.  I took him back Monday morning and he was definitely ready to go.  I think we have cured his whining for a while.  At least he has new stories to tell the other residents.  I was also able to get him to go through some of his books and things, and he decided to take several things with him, which I was releived of.  I'm sure some of his grumpyness was also from seeing his stuff gone through and dispursed.  I think he finally realized he will never be "home" by himself again.  I'm sure it was hard for him.  When hubby talked to him this evening, he said he'd be ready for another visit in about 6 or 7 months...  It was nice to have him, but it's so nice to know he's well taken care of in a place where he is happy and we don't have to worry about him...  I didn't do laundry or any real housework while he was here, so I wouldn't be stressed trying to keep up with him and chores.  I'm still really tired anyway.  Just trying to make sure he's not getting in trouble and that he is getting his meds and all is quite a bit extra.  I'm just taking it as easy as possible and trying to catch up on laundry and stay caught up with school right now.  We'll all get rested up and recuperated soon, I'm sure.  Hopefully we didn't wear him out too much and he'll be up to a camping trip sometime this summer.

Spring Fever

Posted on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 11:06

I feel like I'm flitting around like these silly birds outside.  I've been rearanging things again, trying to figure out how to fit 9 people's stuff into this little farm house.  With school and office, it's a circus around here.  I need to get the baby out of our room so we can start encouraging her to sleep through the night.  Before I can do that, I have to move all Papa and the Boys' stuff out of this little 9 1\2 x 9 1\2 room next to ours.  So, the boys' stuff went upstairs.  Well, I got into all kinds of trouble for that one.  The girls had gotten used to  having the big 20 x 20 something room to theirselves.  It's sad that the largest room in the house is upstairs.  I guess it had actually been 3 or 4 rooms at some point in time...  I was planning to put up a curtain in between, but I might just see how this goes for a while.  I may end up moving the boys back down.  There is also a little room upstairs that is used for a closet and storage.  We need new windows in there.  I'd like to make half of it into a bathroom, but I don't know if that will ever happen.  I thought I might be able to get around to painting that half boy colors and put them in there.  I just hate that they'd have to walk through the girls' room to get to the stairs.  The little room downstairs is already decorated for the boys, I just don't know that I have room for the bed and crib...  The window and doors all seem to be in the wrong spots...  Plus there is Papa's recliner.  Well now I need to get Papa's stuff out and put some plywood and sticky tiles down on the floor before I can move the crib into the little room.  It will just all take time.  Maybe the baby will start sleeping through the night and can go upstairs with the girls soon.

We have made more progress as far as the Papa situatoin.  We haven't had him home for the weekend yet.  We all had a nasty respritory virus right after cleaning out his trailor.  It lasted for more than 3 weeks.  He had broncitus at the same time.  He started feeling lots better about halfway through the month and was really trying to push us to bring him home.  I talked to him and told him that my health needs to be taken care of first.  Then we're going to just try some weekends and a few camping trips to see how things go.  Hubby has arranged that we can use a neighbor's camper.  It can be put ground level at our front door.  It has a little living area big enough for his recliner and a card table and it has a bathroom with a shower.  Hubby will have to unhook the stove.  I feel pretty good about this plan.  It will give him a place and give us some space.  I'll have to lock the house while we do school and Hubby will have to lock the buildings to keep him from rescattering everything again.  But I will be able to see him come and go from the big dining room window.  Our only other propblem is that his legs started bleeding again.  Our original deal with him was that he had to be well for a whole 30 days before we would consider bringing him home.  That was November and he just hasn't.  I know the swelling and the pnemonia are simptoms of a much bigger problem.  Either his heart or his kidneys are giving out, or both.  He wants to come home to die.  I understand and respect that.  When he gets to the point that he's terminal, if we can, I'm fine with having him here with nurses.  It's the in-between that is the problem.  He feels good enough to get himself or someone else hurt, but is still needing lots of medical attention.  We'll just have to see how his attitude is when he gets home for a weekend.  The nurses are spoiling him rotten, letting him eat icecream for supper then feeding him sandwiches at midnight and giving him his baths at 1am.  I told him that won't happen here.  We'll just see what the Lord's plan is for him. 

As far as my health.  My ultrasound and all seem to be fine and I haven't had any problems for over two weeks now.  I'm feeling good and have been active.  We'll see how the next few months go...

OOps...

Posted on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 at 09:39

I just read an email from a dear family member wanting an update on Papa.  I realized I haven't really put any information about how he's been doing for a while.  That was silly of me, sorry.  He has had very swollen legs.  They broke out in sores and he's had them bandaged up for over a month.  Hubby talked to him last night, but he was pretty incoherrent, so he was unable to find out how much better it is and whether or not they are still wrapped up.  We have a "Health Plan Meeting" on the 13th with the head Nurse.  Hopefully we will learn more then. 

He has a roommate now.  When he found out they were fix'n to move someone in, he packed up all his stuff (which he doesn't have much there, he refuses to keep his stuff there, I guess he's worried about someone walking off with it).  Well, he actually called and talked to me a little after they got the roommate in and he sounded very compassionate.  I guess the fella' is in a lot of pain.  The nurse said Papa has been acting protective of him.  I was really worried he'd have a bad attitude, but he must have calmed down.

I have the boys room all decked out with Papa's pictures and antiques and his recliner.  Hopefully we'll be ready to bring him home with us on the 13th for a long weekend.

I have a Doctor's appointment that day as well.  I'm hoping that all the beef and leafy greens I've been eating these last several weeks have brought my blood counts up enough to not have to have iron injections.  They sound ouchy.  After the progestrone injections with the last pregnancy, my hip hurts just to think of weekly shots again!  Hubby has really been praying.  It would really be a boost of faith if the Good Lord decided to heal me.  He healed me of clinical depression 2 years ago.  I hadn't realized I had it until about a year after the children (all 5 that we had so far) and I had the whooping cough.  It took 8 weeks to get a diagnosis, and I had to insist on bloodwork.  I don't think they were wanting to diagnos it because some of us were immunized (I had even had boosters).  I don't know if it was the pertusis or the meds.  I had to take a narcotic to keep me from breaking a rib.  That is nasty stuff.  We had to have home health come in to help out.  I don't understand why people would ever want to take that stuff on purpose.  Anyway it threw me into a deep clinical depression.  I didn't know what it was, I thought I had thyroid or adreanal diffisiancy or something.  (excuse my spell'n, I know it's bad)  Anyway, our wonderful Bible-believing, homeschool-dad, Doctor was loving enough to tell me what he really thought was the problem.  I even argued with him (he's used to that by, after helping me through 4 of my 6 pregnancies), telling him I had no reason to be depressed, I'm a Christian with a wonderful Godly husband and 5 precious children.  Anyway, he was right.  I took 5HTP for a year and a half and then started having tummy troubles, which took me about 2 weeks to figure out was because I didn't need it any more.  I became pregnant with #6 the next month.  Even though I had a very difficult pregnancy and I am still trying to recover after 16 months, I have had NO sign of the depression.  Other than the anemia problem, I feel better than I ever remember feeling.  I think I had been struggling to some degree with depression for a long time and just didn't realize what it was.  Anyway the healing has been a blessing to our faith and a great testimony to God's Love.  Whether He decides it works into His Plan to heal me some more or not, I will continue to Praise Him for His Loving Care.

Moving Papa's stuff...

Posted on Tuesday, March 4, 2008 at 03:23

Well, here I am with stuff piled high all the way around me.  Someone bought Papa's trailor.  We hadn't advertised it.  Hubby just happened to mention we were thinking about selling it and we had two people come look within a week, and then one came by with 1/2 the money in cash.  Unfortunately it isn't enough to pay what we owe the nursing home for December, but it will definitely help.  I have just part of last week and the rest of this week to get all the stuff moved.  We had some help last Tuesday and then some more on Sunday.  That took several loads to the consignment shop and got the big furniture over here.  Can you believe I have stuffed 2 dining sets (with hutches) and a large picnic table in this little 3 bedroom 100 year old farm house?  Yes, I'm crazy.  Although I am naturally a tosser, I got a touch of pack-rat from both parents.  Yes, Granny J, I'm going to blame some of this you!  But you should have seen Papa Jo's face when he found out I gave away all the model airplanes.  He was planning to help the children hang them all from the rafters in the barn!  I have to admit it would have been cool, but when some of my halpers showed interest in them, I was happy to not have to come up with money to pay for the help...  Anyway.  We put the picnic table (8'x4') in the little addition (12x16 steel building added to the front door), with all the crafty and school stuff.  I'm hoping to use it for our craft and school room.  Hubby's planning to have some windows and a window unit put in to help heat and cool.  Our old blond and blue dining table went in the breezway for the oldest to put her computer and stuff.  Then, Papa's dining table is in the dining room.  It's 20" shorter than the picnic table (which we had been using) and it's oval, so we've lost a lot of space for eating area.  I'm hoping to come up with a bench for the little'ns to sit on on one side.  That would save space.  I think it's gona work if we can keep hubby's paperwork off it.  We brought over an interesting rolling cart for him to use.  He can roll it up to the table to use, then we can move the whole thing without having to upset his delicately "organized" mess...  We'll see how it works.  I may end up wanting my picnic table back!   I have one hutch in the dining room and the bottom of the other under the window on the other side of the table.  The top is in the little pantry / hot water heater / extra frig room on top of the big buffet that I refinished when a freind gave it to me several years ago...  Now  The boy's room has a twin bed (I'm hoping to figure out how to put a loft bed above it to make it into a bunk bed), Papa's recliner, the antique dresser with mirror, civil war secritary, a wicker chest (which, there will be one more of those to fit in), and a heavy end table....  The family pictures, huge portraits of hubby as a child, globe, shelves with Papa's comentaries, bible studies, and devotionals, and a few misc things I thought would be familliar to him when he stays with us for a weekend.  This is all in a 9 1/2 x 9 1/2 room!  I still have one more room in the trailor to go through.  It is the worst one.  Shelves all the way up and across on two whole walls...  Aaahhh!  This needs to be done in two days, and the oldest isn't feeling well today...  Then, I practically promised Papa he could come for a weekend in a week and a half!  I've got stuff piled on my couch, on and around the table in the dining room, and the addition is wall to wall stuffed, with stuff all over the picnic table.  I'm feeling a great need to go through things of my own, but don't even know where to start with some of this.  You know, I May Need It Some Day!  May God grant me wisdom much greater than my own, and may He keep my strength and energy sustained. 

On a more fun note.  I recently got to attend a conference with Steve and Teri Maxwell (www.Titus2.com).  I was so blessed.  I've been getting their newsletter for years and have used the MOTH book for scheduling.  It has really helped (though I never have a day that goes acording to my plan, every day is a surprise around here!).  She also has a chore thing that I picked up while we were there.  It's a chore-pack system the children wear like name badges.  It's too cool, I even did one for me.  The little ones are really liking it and it's helping the older ones to 'do the next thing'.  I'm hoping once the house is in some kind of order, that we can really start taking off with it and really getting things done.  The Maxwell's are a very inspiring family.

Well, better get back to work.  Guess I've had enough of a rest.