Day 6 - The Spiritual Side

So let me go back again and describe the day from a different perspective - because I believe in the power of prayer and I know that God works in AMAZING ways.

Thursday night - the day after I arrived - my dad had a dinner party for the neighbors - which gave me a chance to meet them all - a wonderful group of people that really care and look after each other - what a blessing to have met them all before I would need to call on them for help.

One of the neighbors is a retired nurse who was here immediately after I called her when I had to call the paramedics. I was also able to get a text message off to one of my prayer warriors who spent time in prayer for me. After it was decided to take him to the hospital - I texted this prayer warrior again who was with our usual prayer group and had the entire group pray. NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER!

While the paramedics were still there - I spent some time looking for records and things we would need for the hospital. As I'm frantically looking around - I look up and there is one of the other neighbors who had been called by yet another neighbor and he immediately came over - he was like an angel coming to watch over us - I just remember looking at him thinking - how did he get here - and even more of an answer to prayer - he took the dog for the night. He also offered to drive me down to the hospital and back - but I knew I would be able to get down there - not like I haven't taken a parent to the hospital before!

So the paramedics took my dad and I gathered a few things together since I knew that I would not be coming back that night - the roads would be too icy. Since it had been snowing and raining during the day, I wasn't sure what the roads going down the mountain would be like - but - again - the Lord was looking out for me - it was a bit wet and foggy at times - but nothing I couldn't deal with - and I was filled with a sense that it would be all right - I didn't freak out and I only cried once on the trip. I knew that people were praying for me.

The day I flew in from the airport, Sheila had taken me through downtown to get home - we drove right by the hospital - so I knew that if I could just find that street I would be able to find the hotel - I truly just went on faith that I would be able to find it all - and I did - apparently much better than the paramedics!

After he was released - there was still a hotel room with two beds left at Motel 6 - which may not sound all that amazing - but there were a lot of Fresno State fans in town to see their team get spanked by Boise State! Not only was there a room left - but the hotel woman gave us a discount and the room was right by the door to the parking lot - which truly was a Godsend - it was only by the power of God that I was able to get him from the car to the room.

And he slept really well - while I spent most of the night praying for healing and strength for him. Which worked - of course - he was feeling much better today and was able to get to the car ok and was in good spirits. And by the grace of God I was able to not take his frustration and sarcasm and nastiness personally the night before and was able to keep everything upbeat this morning.

Of course when I went out to get breakfast, it was snowing which concerned me a bit - if it was snowing in Boise - it would be even worse in Garden Valley - but again - my prayer warriors were on it and although it was snowing - it wasn't icy and we made it home without any problems at all.

After we got home my dad took a nice long nap which gave me a chance to take a bit of a snooze and he has been doing well the entire night - God is so dang good I can barely stand it - and recounting how blessed I am makes me sit here and cry. It's hard to be so far from home without my usual support people close - but knowing that there are prayers coming my way is so comforting - thank you and God Bless You all!

Day 6 - The Longest Day Ever

So yesterday started good enough - woke up to fresh snow and what looked like a winter wonderland. We took Sheila down to the airport and went grocery shopping in the big city - aka Boise! It snowed for part of the time - but luckily not enough to stick while we were driving.

So we get home and have lunch - left over soup from the dinner party the night before - and my dad decides to take a nap - after his nap he gets up and goes back into the living room and I get on the phone for a bit with a friend - telling her how well my dad is doing - spoke a bit too soon! When I get back into the living room he isn't feeling well - he is dizzy and hot - when I feel his forehead - clammy and wants his blood pressure taken - insisting that he is sick - not that I'm debating him... I call the neighbor who is a retired nurse and while I'm on the phone with her he becomes unresponsive - needless to say - I immediately hang up the phone with her and dial 911 - my worst nightmare - the first night that I'm alone with him!

She comes over and helps with him while we wait for the paramedics (and I use that term loosely) to arrive. And apparently all paramedics aren't cute - dang it! By this time he is nauseated and is having difficulty breathing - they decide that he needs to go to the hospital - really?! And give me the option to take him myself (down the mountain an hour and a half) or they will take him in the ambulance - hmmm... let me think... uh... ambulance! While they are working on him - I'm frantically trying to locate insurance information, medication, doctor phone numbers (I now have all that info at the ready) and I look up and another one of the neighbors is there - not sure how he got there - but he goes into the bedroom where I have locked the dog up to calm the dog. He also offers to take the dog for the night. God Bless Him!

So they take my dad to the hospital - one of the major Boise hospitals downtown and according to my dad - get lost! I leave a little bit after them to take the trip down the hill knowing that I will not be coming back until the next day - don't want to risk driving back up with the ice on the road. So I get to the hospital and they are running all sorts of tests - and the RN - really nice guy - the cute dorky type that I like - so that wasn't so bad - and the doctor - HOT! He said my dad had an arrhythmia - which I think basically means irregular heartbeat - but not a good thing to have... so they gave him some medication to help with it, told us to make an appointment with the cardiologist on Monday and at 12:30am sent us on our merry way...

So we drove down the street to the Motel 6 to spend the night. He was still feeling dizzy - which is a problem he has had for years and has to do with some kind of crystals that form in his inner ear or something - but he wanted to just lay down and sleep - and he certainly did sleep - which was good for him - me - not so much - whenever he would get quiet - I kept looking over to make sure he was still breathing. By the morning he was feeling better so I went out to get us breakfast (neither of us had eaten since lunch the day before) while we waited for the pharmacy to open. And between the hotel clerk and the waitress, I've never been called sweetheart, honey or darling so many times in my life!

He was in much better spirits when we left - we stopped by the pharmacy - and picked up his prescription from the ER - and the pharmacist - another cute dorky type - maybe I need to move to Boise! Drove home in the snow and made it home around 11:30am - but it has just seemed like the longest day ever! He slept most of the afternoon and I even got in a bit of a nap. Making baked chicken and green beans for dinner - and then I think I will make it an early night...

My next post will be the more spiritual journey of the day - because God is SO good and I want to share how I really saw the entire day unfolding... stay tuned...

Day 5 - Back to His Feisty Old Self

So where did I leave off yesterday - I think I was blogging from the Portland airport. And I thought the flight from Portland to Boise was on a jet - nope - puddle jumping turbo prop - which I don't have a problem with - it was just cramped. And I really felt sorry for the woman in back of me - she ended up next to some guy that talked the ENTIRE way - he took incessant chatter to a whole new level! It was crazy! Every once in a while she would get a one word answer in and on occasion two words... Apparently he is some kind of performer and was going to be the best thing going on in Boise tonight - when the plane landed he was holding everyone up because he had to put his jacket on so he could look 'cool and badass' since his people would be meeting him - I was curious what 'his people' would look like - they didn't meet him at baggage claim though so I'll never know - oh well!

So on the way back from the airport - Sheila and I went to the grocery store to stock up - we called my dad when we first arrived at the store to let him know where we were and how long it would take. Unfortunately, we didn't call him when we left the store and when we got up to the house all the lights were off. He was sitting here in the dark all worried about us because we didn't call and was convinced that Sheila wouldn't turn the lights on in the car.

We walk in and he immediately started chewing on my stepmom for not answering her cell phone - the cell phone that he had accidentally put on silent the day before! Just like old times. Here he is checking his email with the dog who wanted to be as close to him as possible!

All has calmed down although he must be feeling better - he is back to his feisty old self - he just tires out pretty easily! It is beautiful up here although has started to rain today - expecting snow tonight which will probably not make for a fun trip to Boise tomorrow to drop my stepmom off at the airport. Am looking forward to making Thanksgiving dinner and doing all the cooking - love to cook even though I don't do it too often! Have been helping Sheila cook today - my dad wanted to have a dinner party for the neighbors tonight so there are 6 others coming for dinner - good times!

Day 4 - Catching up

I know it has been a couple of days - but give me a break - have been getting ready for my trip to Boise to take care of my dad - am sitting in the Portland airport right now - waiting for my flight that has been delayed an hour - good times! And I'm near the outside door so it is a bit chilly - maybe it will keep me awake...

Let's see what has been going on the last couple of days - I had to teach safe business driving class at work - I call it traffic school for AC employees - which I find amusing that I'm teaching it since I'm due for a visit with the Transportation Committee to explain why people keep running into the back of my car. It was a good class and I think it made a difference with several of my students - one talked about not realizing that his 5 year old daughter was picking up driving habits even at that young age!

On Monday night, I was talking to my friend J and I was telling her about starting blogging again and she said that my face just lit up when I started talking about it - I told her that I enjoy sitting back at the end of the day and thinking about how things have gone and try to find the silver lining and fun parts of the day - I'm sure no one would want to read a blog just about all the bad things - and there are definitely things that make me laugh every single day!

Yesterday I was treated to quite the sight of seeing this woman walk this miniature horse sized dog - I swear the dog came up to her boobs when standing on all four feet - she could have ridden the dog! But to top off the situation - she wasn't only walking that dog but walking a dog smaller than Sadie! It was quite the sight! If I'd had my phone handy I might have had to break the law and get a picture of it - hilarious!

It was quite the pleasant day yesterday and I enjoyed the errands I had to run - including going up to see the acupuncturist - which is very cool - if you ever had a need for it - I highly recommend it. They forgot about me though and instead of 20 minutes I got 45 - which was fine with me.

And I have decided that I must have some form of ADD or something - I was joking with the Network class that I get distracted easily - 'bright shiny lights' - and when Diana and I were putting together the Advent devotional I was having the same problem - wandering around looking at everything - everything but what I was supposed to be doing - driving her crazy! And then last night when I was packing and cleaning and getting everything ready it was the same thing - I'd start one thing and then get distracted and start something else and so on and so on! God Bless Me!

Well - its' almost time to board now - so will save you all from this entry and turn off my computer - stay tuned for more - perhaps this evening - with a photo of my travel companion.

Day 3 - I Am Thankful

It's been a long day - a blessed day - but also an emotional day. Life is hard and at times I feel very alone - I know that God is with me - ALWAYS - but sometimes I still feel very alone. But I am so amazingly blessed also - I even got prayer delivered to me today. In this month of Thanksgiving - I am thankful for the amazing friends that God has put in my path to help me along this long and overwhelming journey. Friends that love me and support me - no matter what - even when I wear my polka dot socks with my plaid shoes. Friends that have taken the place of my family that seems to be falling apart - and friends that will remind me to be nice to myself because I am doing the best I can - I thank you all for that - your love and friendship and prayers mean more to me than I could ever express in words - God Bless You All!

PS - Jan - this picture is for you - Sadie says hello!

Day 2 - Making a Moment

Today was a day of fellowship - and hard work. A group of us from church went up to the Neighborhood UMC in Long Beach to help them make some renovations to their sanctuary - like taking out the pews and pulling up the carpet - here are Rachel and I taking a break... The end of the day included our annual Fellowship IX Thanksgiving dinner - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and all the fixings! As I sit and type this evening, thought, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed - by the things I'm trying to get done before I leave for Idaho - including cleaning the house a bit - and a bit nervous about seeing and taking care of my dad - God, Please Help! I just need to let go and live moment by moment and trust that God is taking care of it all - because I know he is! Speaking of moments, I think my favorite moment of the day was when I was driving up to Long Beach - I was behind a school bus and this girl was waving out the back window - I happened to see her and smile and waved back and she got so excited - the smile on her face was huge and she looked so pleased - it was fun to make her moment.

Day 1 - Bringing Back the Blog

It's been a long time! I started this blog as a way to cope with my mom and Alzheimer's - it seemed like there was always some fun story to tell - unfortunately, it has only gotten worse over the last 10 months and it is harder now to find those fun stories - but whether I tell fun stories about her or tell other fun stories - I do enjoy to journal - so - I'm trying to bring back the blog... isn't it 21 days to form a habit? Well - here is day one... and speaking of my mom - I did go to visit her today - she was in the living room watching TV - and at one point some fun music came on the TV so I started to move to the music on the couch next to her - she went ahead and got into the beat as well... I miss her! For now, though, it is time for bed - am up early tomorrow for a work day at a church in Long Beach... stayed tuned for more...