"Reaching" by JenMom

This is one of my favorite blogs. Please read her post. So thought provoking.........

http://lotsofscotts.blogspot.com/2012/02/reaching.html

I love the quote: "When you reach out to help others, pay close attention to who you are reaching over in the process."

Blessings!

Time

Where does the time goes? It seems that time flees so very quickly these days. Perhaps it is because I am getting older? Or perhaps because life is so fast paced and there is so much to do.

John was off work all week last week and will be off this week as well, taking his shift at the nursing home watching over his Dad, until he falls into the arms of our Lord and is taken home. It seems as if the wait is taking forever. It is so hard to watch his Dad suffer. His Dad's final request was to have family by his side at all times until his passing.

He stays "out of it" most of the time. He is on a full 10 liters of oxygen with a bagging mask on his face. He is down to less than 130 pounds (normal weight for him was 180-190). He eats very little, maybe a cup of applesauce or oatmeal for breakfast and that is it. Maybe some juice or iced tea. All medicines have been discontinued EXCEPT liquid morphine and ativan. His color is yellow at times and gray sometimes. The doctor released him from his care in ICU at the hospital into the care of Hospice at a local nursing home. Unfortunately his insurance coverage does not pay for a sitter. We were told last Tuesday by the doctor that it could be anytime, that day or a week. Tomorrow will be a week. Only the Lord knows the time and the hour when He calls us home!

With weak speech and deep breathes he ever so often asks, "What are we waiting on?", or says, "I am ready to go." He is 83 years old, if he sees April he will be 84. The congestive heart failure, organ failure, non alcoholic cirrhosis of the liver (late stage 4), pacemaker, COPD and emphysema are just more than his body can take. He has signed a DNR and just wants to go see his wife, Marilyn that waits on him "in the sky".

"Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are
a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." - James4:14 NIV

It has been a long few weeks trying to keep things going around, home, take care of others that are sick, keep things as normal as possible for the boys and fight this awful MRSA infection. Staph infection is awful. Now it has moved into my eyes as well and they hurt so badly. I hope to get to see the eye doctor today to get a prescription for Lotemax. It is a steroid type eye drop and helps so much during these flare-ups. In the meantime, Mom has a doctor's appointment this morning and she is not doing well at all.

We are wasting not a moment, time is precious!



We are praying for peace during this time. God is good and He always prevails! Thanking the Lord for our blessings! Hope your day is blessed!

Making Sense of MRSA

It has been over a year since I was first diagnosed with MRSA of the sinuses. I've had just the old fashioned staph infection of the sinuses but then this. We have staph all over our body. Staph is produced in the sinuses, it generally exits your body via your sinus fluids and saliva. My problem is a little different. I have a very low sinus cavity on my right side. As a matter of fact I have some roots from teeth in that very cavity. That cavity does not drain properly. As a matter of fact I have t keep is washed out with saline and salt water (at least a quart a day). If I don't it pools in the cavity, stagnates and forms a crust (sore) over the cavity. The smell is worse that awful. IT is like rotten flesh and it is there until the sore comes off, the fluid is released and it is washed out and the antibiotics have taken hold. The typical sulfa drugs used to treat MRSA I am allergic too. We normally use Doxycycline with a compounded antibiotic nose spray of sorts. I met with the infectious disease doctor recently and my choices are becoming quite limited. I am using the typical regime for now. My other options are pic line or iv antibiotics via hospital stay. The important thing is to keep the MRSA from getting in the bloodstream. Also another concern is that if it got in the bloodstream how quickly it could make contact with the brain. To say I am overwhelmed is an understatement. It is not terminal and I am blessed so I just hold on to that.

The pain and pressure is also a lot to deal with. There are times that the front of my face feels like it could just "pop off"! If I bend down too quickly I have found myself getting up from the floor.

I had sinus surgery for reconstruction(due to breathing issue) and to clean out infection and add silicone to bones to strengthen them. a couple of years ago and that was successful. This however is a whole new story. We have known for a while that this other surgery is a very needed option and I just don't want to think about it. I am running out of options. To break it down this surgery would reconstruct most of my face. There would have to be broken bones, screws, plates, possible cheek implant, teeth pulled and teeth implants added, all while building up that sinus cavity. Dealing with all we are right now is just a hard place.

So, that is where we are with my health. We are trying our best to keep me out of the hospital since we are expecting John's Dad to pass anytime, my sick parents and aunt and so on so forth. I currently have no broken skin lesions (sores outside the nose/sinus cavities). So we are very thankful for that! If you have a extra prayer for healing and another for wisdom they would be much appreciated! God is good and we are hanging on to HIM! Blessings!

Two Weeks Worth

The last two weeks have been anything but easy. There have been so many changes that have taken place. I thought I might update, so here goes.

Lent is upon us and I have not only decided to give up facebook for those 40 days but send some form of card/letter encouragement to those around us. Facebook has become a big part of my life, perhaps too big. I want to spend more time with God and His word. I want to become the Christian He wants me to be.

I have gradually started the defriending process on facebook. Those of my"friends" that were negative or tried to bring my husband and family down, I see no reason to keep as "friends". I mean would true friends do that?! True friends would uplift you and your family!

I found and am using a new stylist only 3 minutes from my house! I love her and she does great work for a much less price! The regular highlight and cut was about $125 now I pay $65. A cut alone was $25, now is only $10! Woohoo!

We are still loving our new church family! They have been helping us with the boys, bringing supper and even bringing a few paper products/groceries.

John has had to use this week as vacation, to be able to receive a paycheck for it. No unfortunately we are NOT on vacation. My father-in-law was taken to the er Saturday morning for fluids building. Sunday we were told to call the family to say their last good-byes. He has been moved to the nursing home and under hospice care now. He has congestive heart failure, copd, stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver and emphysema. He is being kept sedated with Ativan and is being morphine for pain. All other meds have been stopped and he has not been eating/drinking. He is 83 years old with a pacemaker and all "life saving measures" have been stopped. All organs have been declared "in failure".

My Mom is still having a very hard time with the muscle disease. Her brain injury is much better. We recently celebrated her 1 year date of her incident. My Dad will have to have a double knee replacement soon. His head pain is much better.

The boys are accelerating in school and have even been invited to "The Young Author's Conference"! There were only 3 children from each class invited. They both have helped in writing and publishing a book! So excited for them!!!

Lil John has been very sick with sinus infection and upper respiratory illness. He is on Zithromax and Bromfed DM.

Mason fell last Friday toward the end of the school day. I was in the car in the car line waiting on them to come oout. The teacher that was subbing for his regular teacher came and got me. She told me I needed to park my car, that Mason was hurt. Scared the daylights out of me! He had been tripped on purpose and before that the little boy had hit him in the head and afterwards the little boy even laughed at him. I found out this week that that same sub had a recent arrest record and this morning I found myself in a meeting with the principal. He is new to that position andwas not aware of these issuses at hand. He is a friend of my my brother and sister in law's and attends church with them. He was also my 5th grade teacher.

I believe in 2nd chances and forgiving but someone with a recent arrest record (2 arrest for keeping her kids out of school and one -this school year for shoplifting) in a classroom of Kindergartners?! Ummm, NO! Her daughter is in Mason class and she is having to repeat Kindergarten this year because she missed so much school last year!

Mason and John just finished up basketball season last Saturday. This past Monday night was their basketball banquet. They have enjoyed it so much! If your children have never played Upwards Sports I HIGHLY recommend it! The way they teach Godliness, have devotion and learn memory verses is a great thing!

Our sweet little "Princess" the Labradoodle that we raised on a bottle is now a 14 week old, 18 pound ball of fur that is biting everything and everyone in her path. She refused to pad train to potty and tore her potty pads apart. She chewed on everything and was just a menace in the house. She is settled outside in her new dog fence and with a nice, warm Igloo dog house! She will be allowed to run free on a regular basis once she grows a little and can keep up with Mia, the border collie (that weighs a whooping 80 pounds!).

We celebrated my Mom's birthday (her birthday is on Valentine's Day) the weekend before Valentine's Day with family, grilling out and sweet time together! She is 68 years old! So blessed to have her still here with us!

We have had a mild winter this year with little cold and no snow. We are breaking ground and getting ready to plant crops. Trees have been pruned and we mowed grass yesterday!

The boys will be 6 next month and I've got to get on the ball and get their party supplies ordered!

That's what's going on in our world! How is yours going?

Blessings!

Not Missed

I have spoke of us leaving and church and going to a different one on different occasions. We have found one that we like and feel comfortable that this is where God wants us, at least for now. It is a small church only a few minutes (3 minutes to be exact) from our house. We are excited to be a part of it and our boys love it. The people are kind and more than welcoming. We are excited to be apart of it. Yesterday was our second Sunday to attend and our first Sunday night to attend.
Last Sunday I posted a status on facebook about the message (bridling your tongue). Yesterday I did the same (except the message was on patience).

Here is my status from facebook: Another great message today at church......on patience. Patience is something I don't have too much of these days. Lots of ugliness going on these days and I won't be part of it (hence the defriending button). Anyhow I know how to have patience and I will. Kicking my ugliness out of the way and letting God move in deeper to my heart..........right where HE should be. Lord, help me be more of you and less of me! AMEN! God is so good!!!! "By your steadfastness and patient endurance you shall win the true life of your souls." -Luke 21:19 (AMP)

Keep in mind the reason we left was becuase we are never missed or checked on when we are out and with all the sickness around us we have been out about as much as we have attended. Sunday school teachers nor children church workers EVER have called to see about the boys, even during hospital stays. Noone has ever sent a card or called, nothing.

Last night, our previous preacher's daughter left a comment, something along the lines of we have your irs statement for tithes at the church, didn't know ya'll were going anywhere else.....lol. I commented and told her we didn't need it, we'd already had our taxes done and used our bank statements. They could just toss their statement. Of which she replied that she would let them know and thanks.

This morning her first comment was gone, she had deleted it. She didn't bother to say, we've missed ya'll or anything. My point is I want to be missed. I want to be loved. I want to be prayed for. I want these things but more importantly I want them for my children. Anyhow, what's done is done. I have forgiven them, even though they may not know they were in needing of being forgiven. God loves us all! Praising God for our new church home!

February Menu Plan

Here is my menu planner for this month. What's going on your table this month?


1 Tangy Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans,Brown Rice
2Roast, carrots, potatoes, chocolatepudding
3 Spaghetti
4 BLT’s, Oven Fries,raisin oatmeal cookies
5 Shrimp salad
6 BBQ stuffed potatoes
7 Chili, cornbread, Shoney’s peach pie
8 Enchiladas verdes Pg. 225, beans,rice, salad
9 Chili dogs, fried potatoes
10 Fried okra, peas, potato salad,cornbead
11 Chicken helper, leftover veggies
12 Steak, baked potatoes, salad
13 Taco salad, strawberry pretzel salad,chocolate covered strawberries
14 Breakfast casserole w/ sausage andcream cheese, fried apples
15 Hm Chicken noodle soup, sweet potatobread w/ pineapple butter Pg. 89
16 Hm beef stroganoff, green beans,Buttermilk salad
17 Ribs, beans, potato salad, fruit tray
18 Lasagna, bread, salad
19 Burgers, fries, salad, pb cookies
20 Santa fe soup
21 Chicken pot pie (Paula Deen recipe),pear salad
22 Fried chicken, green beans, mashedpotatoes, gravy, biscuits
23 Butterpeas, cornbread,mac&cheese, fried potatoes, sauted squash, fried green tomatoes, peach cobbler
24 Potato soup
25 OUT
26 Gravy, biscuits, sausage
27 Nacho bar, CB Oatmeal cookies Pg. 96
28 Pizza, wings (OUT) 29. Shrimp fet. alfredo

A New Month!

Well, it appears that February is upon us! I wanted to review my New Year's Goals.

1. Blog daily. I blogged 15 times compared to the 31 I wanted to. However, it is better than just once.
2. Take more pictures. I haven't really, although I have taken several of the boys @ basketball games.
3. Read Bible daily. Most days but not all. I did say read through it in a year. I am now striving for a chapter a day.
4. Read 2 books or more a month. SUCCESS! DONE! I have read Gabby, Money Saving Mom's Budget and Organizing for Life.
5. Read more to the boys. DONE! Almost everyday.
6. Restart daily devo and prayers with hubby. Starting today.
7. Read and pray as a family. Not done . Ashamed to say.
8. Declutter and organize. A work in progress, however I would say I am 50% PLUS there in the house.
9. Toenails have yet to be painted, however, feet are in better shape!
10. Paint and redo master bath. I have the color picked out! :)
11. New kitchen counter tops. Maybe late fall.
12. Stick to defined budget and put $$$ back. Sticking with budget. No $$$ back yet.
13. Finish cookbook and gt to publisher. Not yet.......
14. Get back to "magic number" weight wise. Not yet but on my way! :)
15. Organize pics/clean off sd cards. Not yet.
16. Use kinder and more encouraging words with family. Trying and struggling daily.
17. Surrender and trust more fully in God! Yes and continually working on.

How are your goals going?