Stories from Gran

Our grandson is enthralled with Star Wars which is interesting because I have been a fan since 1979. I conned my husband into taking his very pregnant wife to see the first Star Wars movie.

At Christmas time, Clayton "covinced" me to tell him creative original stories based on Star Wars. (Is conning hereditary?) Even though the characters have been updated somewhat, I was able to come up with acceptable stories. It was as much fun for me as it was for Clayton. This story telling adventure all started with his Dad speaking over the baby monior in a most accurate Darth Vader voice "Luke, I am your father". Now it is obvious where Clayton gets his love for the whole Star Wars obsession. Both he and Clayton got light sabers for Christmas.

Clayton made me promise to come up with new stories for the next time he came to see us. You might see some of them here on the blog. Below is a picture of our 3+ year old storm trooper.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas at our house was wonderful. Rebecca and Jeff came over. Our grandsons, Sarah, Wade, and Sydney came to visit. Each day was an uplifting experience.



Clayton sat in my magic bed listing to Star Wars stories and talking about anything that his wonderful mind could think of for hours.



Drew is now 2 months old. He is so gentle and precious. I think of the carol "Away in the Manger" when I look at him. I am in awe.

It was so much fun. Each person made our Christmas special. Thank you Family for making our Christmas perfect.

Drew update

Drew is one week and 3 days old. He already seems to be growing up - way too fast for grandparents. Our daughter keeps her blog current which helps, but we still miss seeing them day to day. I miss them.



Halloween is not one of my favorite holidays, but I enjoy seeing "my boys" enjoying it. Clayton was Captain America; Drew was a dinosaur. Clayton and his dad carved an amazing pumkin. Truly amazing work, Wade.

Andrew Michael

We just returned from seeing, holding, kissing Grandson #2. I did not think any baby could compare to #1. I was right. #1 is no longer a baby; he is a fabulous grown-up big brother.




#1 dressed in full scrubs for the birth. He was "treated" like a real doctor by the nurses and even other new fathers. One father even asked him the directions to the nurses. Without any hesitation, #1 said "Go down this way and turn to the left." When the father returned to say that he did not find the nurses, he was told "You went the wrong way!" When Drew came to the room before he had to go to the NICU because of a minor problem, all Clayton could do was tell his mom and his brother "I love you."



Clayton wore his Big Brother shirt and Drew wore his Little Brother shirt when Drew was able to room in with mom.



I am not the least a proud grandmother. I am truly blessed.

OK, Sarah...

I just finished my training to be an SAT reader, so now I can fill my afternoon with this tag. My life is pretty normal, but here goes:

1. When my dad came home from World War II, he and my mom moved into a Jim Walter home that my Papa gave them. My older brother and sister did not live close to my grandparents when they were growing up, so Papa bribed my parents into having another baby by promising them a new car. I am the car!

2. I was a spoiled, rotten brat, so anything I wanted Papa would see that I got it. He built a stye (a set of steps over the fence between his house and ours). I could get to his house without having to walk by a highway. I would visit them daily. He would feed me like a baby bird home grown green beans. My MoMo would bake blackberry cobbler and old fashioned tea cakes.

3. Papa and I would go fishing in a john boat weekly. I was so excited when he taught me how to run the motor. When I was about thirteen, the "bubbas" on the bayou started noticing me. The day they started whistling I remember Papa saying something like "Well, there goes my fishing buddy". I continued to fish with him, though, even when JD and I were dating. We would always cook a feast on the bank which included our catch that day. I remember always bringing bacon to cook just in case we didn't catch any fish.

4. I went to a tiny rural high school in a quaint Louisiana town. There were only thirteen in my entire class until my school was consolidated. Then we has sixy-three seniors. We had a movie theater, one grocery store, one gas station, an antique shop, and a DAIRY QUEEN. We had to find strange ways to occupy our time. One way was for all of my friends to stand on the plate that triggered the stop light to change. At night, we would wait for a eighteen wheeler to come barreling through town, then we would all jump on the plate. It was fun to watch the poor driver slam on his breaks. My little town had no real way of funding the necessities of the running of the town except traffic tickets. We had just purchased a new police car, so Bubba (his real name and our only policeman) loved our antics because he could double the city's treasury.

5. When JD and I were dating(I met him while he was "going steady" with my cousin - but that's another story), we didn't have much money to spend on a date so we had to be creative. One night was particularly eventful. We were in a parking lot after we had gone to a movie. All of a sudden JD spotted a grocery cart. Before I knew it, I was sitting in the cart being madly wheeled around the parking lot. JD and I still laugh about that night.

6. When I was student teaching, I taught an advanced Senior English class. I was not much older than my students. One young man came up to me wanting advice. I had no idea what the problem was. He shared that he was going into the Marines but wanted to marry his girlfriend before he left. He was so insistent because she was pregnant. I was not sure how to counsel him, so I asked my supervisor from the college what to do. He was visibly shaken. After stammering around, he admitted that he didn't have a clue. His biggest worry when he was in the classroom was stopping a student from throwing paper around the room!

Now, Sarah, I've fulfilled my duty. However, I don't know any bloggers that I can tag...

1. Post the rules on your blog
2. Write 6 random things about yourself
3. Tag 6 people
4. Please pass it on for fun...

Drew is almost here!

I am going to be a grandmother again on October 23. Yesterday my daughter and Drew were blessed with a family shower. My younger daughter and her husband represented Gran and Papa D. My daughter's blog helped me visualize the grand occasion.

Drew's birth brings back special memories. I was obsessed over older daughter feeling left out when younger daughter was born - a feeling not unique in my situation. I enjoyed reading books to my older daughter daily; this special time brought me joy. How could I continue this traditional story time when I was away from her? I decided to audio tape my reading those stories to her. The page turner was a simple bell being rung. Even if this did not help her, it did convince me that I would not be missed as much.

My older daughter allowed me to give Clayton a big brother shirt to assure him that he was not to left out.



I am so blessed with amazing daughters, son-in laws, and the first two of I hope many grandchildren.

Galveston Pre-Ike

My grandson visited the beach in Galveston when he was younger. The water is often less than pristine, but he does not seem to care. This picture at sunset was an amazing reminder to me of God's amazing power. I choose to remember Galveston through the eyes of a child, not post Ike.

After Ike

Ike has left his mark on south Texas. He was only a Cat 2, but his destruction was more like cat 4 or 5. Ike was huge. I can still hear the crashing and moaning of our trees and house. The eye was eerily silent. Then he rived his motor again. Thankfully, our fence and broken limbs were the only destructive remnants of Ike at our house. We had to do without electricity for five long days. The first two were typical Houston - hot and humid. The last three were unseasonably cool. Open widows at night provided welcomed relief. All of Houston was not so blessed. The unruly lines for ice, water, and gas were everywhere. Tempers had a short fuse. Fist fights and even gun shots were not unusual.

My younger daughter and her husband offered us refuge when their electricity came on in Day 2. Their house is a fairly newly constructed home. My wheelchair made it difficult to maneuver around in their home. A hospital bed is a necessity for me; therefore, returning to our hot house was the only option. Medical emergency power need must be register for with our electricity provider, paperwork filled out by me and my doctor, documents returned, and then and only then will the request be even considered. I was quite perplexed. I had registered my need for assistance with the city and county. I did receive phone calls of concern by both.

Galveston felt the most destruction. Only 60% evacuated. The other 40 stayed on the island. Galveston had weathered worse they thought. The evacuation was reminiscent of Rita.




Ike struck with a vengeance. The west end was destroyed. People clung to rooftops and each other as the surge engulfed the usual hussel and bussel of the gulf shores. Visions of Katrina slapped us all in the face. Will this serene cost line ever return?

Ike

This is a picture of Ike from space. His size and wrath are scary yet amazing. The storm surge will be the worst. Only 40% of the occupants of Galveston evacuated. Even as far away as we are from landfall, I am uneasy. We evacuated for Rita, and it was chaos. Please pray for all of us in the path of Ike.

God Of This City

An ex-student had this music video on his Facebook page. Thank you, Jonathan, for sharing. A city can represent our world as we know it. There are more things that we can and must accomplish.

Plagiarism?

I'm normally am not political, but when Joe Bidden was nominated as Vice President, I remembered using him to teach parody, satire and plagiarism. Read the following and draw your own conclusion:

"Plagiarism can have catastrophic consequences for one's career as a student and even later on in life—and the higher one's ambition takes one, the higher the stakes. In 1987, for instance, Senator Joe Biden, who was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, was accused of plagiarizing passages in speeches and interviews from the oratory of a British politician, Neil Kinnock. Here are some of the passages in question:

Kinnock (original)
Why am I the first Kinnock in a thousand generations to be able to get to university? Why is Glenys the first woman in her family in a thousand generations to be able to get to university?
Was it because our predecessors were thick? Does anybody really think that they didn't get what we had because they didn't have the talent or the strength or the endurance or the commitment? Of course not. It was because there was no platform upon which they could stand.
Biden
I started thinking as I was coming over here, why is it that Joe Biden is the first in his family ever to go to a university? Why is it that my wife who is sitting out there in the audience is the first in her family to ever go to college?
Is it because our fathers and mothers were not bright? . . . No, it's not because they weren't as smart. It's not because they didn't work as hard. It's because they didn't have a platform upon which to stand . . .

It turned out Biden had also borrowed passages from old campaign speeches by Robert Kennedy and had inflated his academic record. But oratory has a long tradition of borrowing and even "heavy lifting," as speechwriters call it, so Biden stayed alive in the presidential race. The last straw, however, came when it turned out that twenty years earlier Biden had received a failing grade in a law school course for plagiarizing a legal article (he'd given a single footnote while lifting five full pages from the article). Biden said he'd been unaware of the appropriate standards for legal briefs, but the public was unimpressed. His campaign collapsed and he withdrew from the race. "

College Nuts and Bolts
http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/plagiarism.html

I thought Harvey was unique...

I thought Harvey was the only Lab that hated water. A friend sent me this video from The Animal Planet. Here's proof that Harvey is not unusual. (Click the forward arrow to see the video.)

Grandchildren are a gift

This is a 4D sonogram of my second grandson. How can anyone look at this angel and not believe that God creates miracles? This precious child is - and has been since conception - a gift. Just looking at his smile is confirmation of that truth. I cannot wait to meet you, Drew. You are blessed to be born into a family of amazing, loving, godly parents and an equally unbelievably incredible big brother. Even though your big brother is only 3 1/2, he will be your protector, your teacher, your best friend.

I am in awe.

Truly Amazed

The starting of school always brought a mixture of excitement, apprehension, and unfortunately dread. Can I share life lessons? Can I modify my goals to the unique makeup of my students? Will I continue to look at each moment "outside the box", not relying on standard educational techniques? I was - and still am - determined to continue to grow as a teacher, mentor, and friend. With retirement, does that end?

I hope not. I have people in my life that I see physically, people that I share my perspectives in an online group of which I am a part, people that I have taught, people that I love. Life has many twists and turns. May we all be like my precious grandson and be truly in awe of even the simplest parts of life.

Through the eyes of a child...

When our younger daughter married a little over 14 months ago, our then two year old grandson was the ring barer. The wedding coordinator expressed serious doubts about the wisdom of this choice. But my daughter assured her that he was mature enough to handle the responsibility. The Perfect Child did an incredible job - even if he was bribed into practicing his duties by carrying a Shrek action figure on the ring pillow down the aisle. As the happy couple left to begin their married life, my daughter chose to have bubbles blown instead of the traditional rice or roses thrown at the conclusion of the gorgeous celebration. The picture above is my grandson's glee as the bubbles rained down on him.

As I reflect on the wedding, I realize his innocent perspective is what I should remember when I evaluate life's joys and disappointments. Life journeys are to be a learning experience; we are to use even the most disheartening to make us grow. Wisdom seems to come as a result of discouragement. I often am a slow learner. I need to be pounded on the head before I "get it". I am learning to be focused on the end of the journey, not on the many road blocks I may encounter.

Oh, to be a child again...

Mean it when you say Thank You

This is the t-shirt my younger daughter and her husband wore when they were helping with a children's ministry in inner city Houston this summer. It was hot, hard work, but the rewards will be so amazing. Their time with lower economic children should remind all of us how blessed we are. I am blessed in so many ways: a husband who loves me and is an incredibly hard worker even when times are challenging, two daughters that make me so proud, their husbands who are such supportive help mates, two amazing grandsons (one who is three and one who will be born in October), blessed sister and two brothers who know what "family" really means, supportive true friends (especially Cecelia), and finally ex-students who have become incredible adults. I am so truly thankful that God saw my needs and gave me so many blessings. It is easy to be needy and say "poor me". A pity party has many eager guests. But to be thankful in all things is sometimes overlooked. I am truly thankful - even for "bad" things. "Bad" only makes me more thankful for the "good". I claim my favorite verse of Jer. 29:11. Thank you my husband, family, and friends (this group of friends include those ex-students who haven't forgotten me). I am blessed.

Can You Do the Happy Dance?!

My goodness...I did not know how many of my ex-students remembered mean, old, impossible to please Mrs. H. I expected to hear from recent FBBA graduates, but those who have already graduated from college? Yes, I know both of my daughter's many friends know I'm still alive, but graduates from 2000?? It is wonderful to hear how well they are doing. Some have changed their names (to protect the innocent?), so I was confused for a moment. This technology age is amazing. I have Dan the Man to thank for my "incredible" IT skills. I still need to figure out this text thing. I usually only get texts about car warranties or sure fired stocks, so imagine how excited I was to get one from a genuine friend who happens to also be an ex-student. I couldn't figure out how to text, so I just called her on her cell phone. She gave me her number late last year in case I needed something. Thanks to Facebook I can keep up with their latest escapades. Thanks to all of you. You make me happy.

Update

Facebook continues to be entertaining. I cannot believe the number of people that I know that seem to share my apparent obsession. Chuck, Nick, Emily, Rebecca (my daughter who introduced me to the experience), Katherine, Parker, Kara, Kati, Molly, Mike T., David, Michelle, Ellen, Mike M., and Dan (the Man) have all either written on my Wall or sent messages. Other ex-students and friends have added me to their friend list. It was wonderful to hear how their lives are growing. If you haven't explored this site (http://www.facebook.com/), you may want to do so.

As an old teacher, the beginning of school always brings dread, apprehension, and excitement. For the first time in 30+ years I won't have the experience of a new group of students. I don't know how I am going to handle the emotions. Teaching has always been motivating for me. I have taught in so many schools - public and Christian. I even have had the joy of teaching my own daughters. I can still remember my older daughter's flowing tears when she discovered that I was going to be her Senior English teacher. I always was a demanding teacher but prided myself with being fair. But, my poor daughters experienced my less than understanding side. I could not be accused of showing favoritism, so I was harder on them both. I even gave an English award to a truly outstanding student instead of my daughter who was also deserving. Kati remembers that well.

My three-year old grandson continues to amaze me. He comes up with most insightful, mature views of life. The stories are too cute. His parents are doing an amazing job of allowing him to grow God's way. They temper discipline with mercy. As is easily observed in the picture above, he is an example of perfection - at least as a Grandmother sees it.

Life Is Good

Facebook is becoming an obsession! I have re-connected with many ex-students. I think I miss the interaction with my kids the most in retirement. I hear from some randomly; their reappearance always makes me happy. Many of them have married, started a career, and had babies. I miss them all.

Another person that makes me smile is my grandson. He is going to be a big brother in October. Wisely, his mom and dad take him to obstetric visits. He loves the sonograms. His latest visit was a real comedy. He was waving at his little brother in the sonogram and become quite distraught because little brother was not waving back. The incredibly observant and sensitive doctor lifted the very sad big brother up to the sonogram and said something like "See. Here are his hands. He's waving back". Even as a doting grandmother, I recognize that my grandson possesses above average intelligence. Those two boys are going to keep my daughter young, happy, and tired!

Exploration

After my last post, one of my daughters introduced me to Facebook. She explained that it was really just the same as blogging. I guess one has to delve into this cyber-world experience. "Delve" is an exaggeration; I more accurately should describe my rookie attempt as "dangling my toes". Maybe, it is not the dark hole this old lady thinks. I did go to the site and set up a profile. If any "youngsters" are reading this, you would roar at my apprehension. I imagined all the scum out there who would be out there just looking for the "dirt" on a 58 year old retired English teacher with MS. Yes, I know that I live such a provocative, interesting life. My exciting life can be summed up by my love of Sea Turtles. I will journal my replies - if any - to my new friends. See you on the DL. Is that the correct term?! ;-)

Life in the Fast Lane

I'm glad that I am not a kid in this crazy world. Sure, there are a lot of incredible advantages, but I am not ready for the sophisticated traps that are around every corner. Just when I think I have seen it all, a different monster rears his ugly head. I think of my precious girls - excuse me, women. Just what have they conquered and what is on the horizon for my grandchildren? This is a world that seems to try to trick us into going against the values of our youth. Why is My Space such a big deal? I guess it is no big deal. But, why do we have the enter the "world" vicariously? I can hear the rationalization now. I guess some of us get tempted when we least expect it. God does give strength to conquer it if we just seek that power. The choice to seek is what we all have to make. I covet the prayers of those of you who are warriors. We - young and old alike - face many battles - some we never expect. Why can't we remain like a innocent child? I can only wish ...

Oxford 2008

Here is a group picture of the 2008 Oxford group. Can you find Cecelia? How about Michelle?

Cecelia

The character on the left is my very good friend Cecelia. She has been such a friend, confidant, and protector for many years. She always said that I was the brains and she was the brawn (my legs). She was more than the norm; she seemed to know me better than I know myself. She has been my driver, my beautician, my heart, my sounding board, and so much more. God chose to move her to Tyler in 2007. I miss her so much. But, we talk on the phone or via email often. The above is the childlike side of my buddy. She is with a group of students at Oxford; they are taking college classes. I am sure that Cecelia has been a great "tutor" as these students wrote their papers to be the culmination of their Oxford study. She is quite a uplifting spirit. She is very unassuming and not judgemental. Never ask her a question if you really don't want an honest answer. Her stories of Oxford are not only enlightening but also hysterical. Be careful my friend as you return to the USA.

Celebration!

July 4th is such a fantastic holiday. Our children were all here to help us celebrate. We were all invited to our younger daughter's home to enjoy brisket, corn, and green salad that was brought by my daughter's mother-in-law. Dessert was an awesome chocolate cake - and I am not a chocolate lover. My older daughter and her family joined us for the feast. They were able to spent the rest of the weekend with us. Of course, their family includes our incredible, handsome, intelligent, and perfect grandson. He comes up with the most amazing observations. Watching fireworks has become one of his favorite activities. Fireworks, snakes, alligators, boats, space, trains, reading, and superheroes are just of a few of his passions. Thank you all for making our holiday special.

Laura, Dani, and Amber

I received three notes from wonderful students of the Class of 2008. I was not able to go to their graduation ceremony. I was "bummed" as they might say. I was excited to get their notes. I have a notebook of the letters that class of graduates sent me when I retired. When I need an encouragement, I re-read their sweet remembrances. I even received a letter from a student that I taught several years ago who was riding in the MS150. He was also going to Alaska on a mission trip. Zac is a junior engineering student at Texas A&M in College Station. Thank you, Zac, for sharing your memories and pictures.

Retired is difficult to get used to, but notes from x-students are gratifying. Thank you Laura, Dani, Amber, and Zac.

Harvey Visits Again

Harvey came to visit last week. He is 4 years old now and is such a sweet dog. There were times in the past that I doubted ever being able to say that about the Harv! My younger daughter got him at a puppy adoption at Pet Smart while she was in college. The adventures she had with him cannot be believed. She could probably write a book. Harvey has chased cats, had a best friend Brinkley, and even had a dogie birthday party with some other friends. Harvey makes friends with four footed creatures very easily, but he has always been unsure of strangers. Maybe his phobia is because of being in a pound when he was just a puppy. When he came into our lives, he was only as big as his head is now!

Harvey showed how much he had "matured" when he visited this time. The lawn people left the back gate opened. I didn't notice it until I had already let Harvey out. Before now, I would have expected him to scampered out of the gate and into the street. When I noticed the gate being open, I told him to not go out and to come in the house. He looked at the gate, eager to escape. But instead he came back into the house. I was so relieved. The picture above is of Harvey, my daughter, and my son-in-law. Even though it looks like it in the picture, Harvey does not have devil eyes. He has the gentlest big brown eyes.

Happy Anniversary

Both of our daughters wed fantastic men in the Spring. Our older is in the post about Destin. She and her husband celebrated their eighth anniversary yesterday. Our younger daughter and her husband celebrated number one a few weeks ago. She and her husband are in the picture above.

We are so proud of both of these couples. Happy Anniversary.

"Destin for Greatness"

This is the title of my daughter's blog on their tip to Destin, Florida. The pictures tell the story so wonderfully.

I just had a long conversation with our grandson. He is growing up so fast. We talked about his 'cation, as he calls it. He was so excited about holding the alligators, holding a starfish, being the captain of a real boat, going to the beach, and going to a dolphin show. Being in Florida will be a fantastic memory for him. He talks just like a grown up. He was excited that he went to his mom's regular obstetric visit and got to hear his little brother's heart beat. We are all - especially our grandson - eager to meet that new addition in October.

Life Goes On

It has been a few days since I created a post. I have started painting again; I had believed it was impossible to paint with just one working hand. I guess anything is possible if one just tries. Modification is the name of the game. It will take much practice to be happy with what I put on canvas. I have been painting lighthouses and abstracts. I never enjoyed abstracts, but I find so much freedom in them lately. I am slowly learning that just because MS has made my life different, it will not make me just quit trying.

My grandson is with his family in Florida. I miss talking to him. He is an incredible little person. He says the funniest things and seems to have a deeper than normal understanding of his world. Of course, I am not the least bit biased. I made an outing to Target to get him some small presents. I had not been out of the house for several months. Any excursion is a major production. My sweet husband drove me to my destination. Even though it was tiring, it was really uplifting to motor around. I hope to do it more often.

My Journey

As I read over my posts, I realized that my blog was becoming my sounding board. It was just the wanderings of my self-evaluation. I decided to delete some posts and determined to make this blog just simply an avenue for my writing. I am realizing more and more that I miss teaching my kids. Some days were harder than others, but, at the end of the day, I could remember with a smile the adventures of the day. Maybe I can begin tutoring just a few kids. I can start writing book reviews I guess. We'll see...

Harvey

Harvey (our grand-dog) is visiting today. He is such a great companion, friend, and protector. When he gets to come visit, I feel such acceptance and love. He does not care that I cannot run and play with him when he goes out in the backyard. He will just sit by me or at the window. He does not expect anything - just to be fed twice a day! He is so human - at least he seems to be.
Thank you for visiting, Harvey.

Rescue 143

Last night - rather this morning - was surreal. It is so frustrating to not be able to just stand up and move myself to a "normal" position. I got into a precarious situation as I was trying to transfer from the bed. After evaluating my problem, my resident hero again rescued me. Using an old hydraulic hoyer, he was able to maneuver me back to bed. I went from a difficult position of being on my face lying in a doorway to being lifted onto my bed. His engineering skill is used not only in the oil field but also in the moving of a lump of dead weight. I have been in love with my hero since I was sixteen. We would always use the code "143" to mean "I love you." He is here for me, not because it is expected but because he wants to be. What do people do in this situation "normally" with no resident hero?

There is help for the elderly and the disabled if one knows where to look.

1. Adult Protective Services (APS) is a source of help. The state provides relief in the area of individual care and in the area of group care (i.e. nursing home and assisted living). One needs to not expect instant relief; nursing homes know how to cover all the bases and "play the game." After I left the last "rehabilitation" facility, I asked for a copy of my chart. I was charged over $200 dollars for a copy of my chart. I did not recognize the patient described; in fact, one page was on a different patient. I had kept a log of my treatment and none of those events appeared in my chart. Keeping a log is important.

2. Cities and counties provide services in times of distress. I was concerned about evacuation from my town if a hurricane is eminent. I evacuated when Hurricane Rita was baring down on Houston. Travel was such a nightmare that I will not do it again. I will just take my chances. My town has no services for the evacuation of the disabled, but my county does. I did inquire about help with the city of Sugar Land. A most helpful member of the city administration led me to a county service - S.N.A.P. She sent me the link to the county program. I filled out a complete but simple survey of needs. I was assured that a link to S.N.A.P. is on the city of Sugar Land web page (http://www.sugarlandtx.gov).%20help/. If that link is not obvious, the helpful Sugar Land employee shared the following:

The link to register with the Fort Bend County S.N.A.P. program is:http://www.co.fort-bend.tx.us/getsitepage.asp?sitepage=3182Just in case this link does not work their site address is www.co.fort-bend.tx.us and the department you would need is "Health and Human Services".

Help is available for those who need it if the source is known. Surf the Internet. Check with your local, county, and state government. Don't just sit ideally by; be proactive in personal care.

I need a window

A dear friend who supported me with computer modifications at my last school has read the posted part of my book. He encouraged me to post a second composition of my ramblings. He also encouraged me to try to publish; he even knew how to get it published with help from Amazon. Dan the Man comes through again.

Multiple Sclerosis. These words are a wake up call to me. Growing up in the midst of a DDT infected Louisiana cotton field never caused me concern. Aren't I infallible? I cannot be affected by that poison. Was environment a cause for disease? It's more a result of environment, not genetics.

My sweet sister was diagnosed with MS when she was pregnant with her second child. She was taking a sinful pan of her amazing fudge to a friend. As she navigated down a snowy hill, her vision disappeared. Why did this happen to her? I never dreamed that this could ever be a result of MS. I was sure that she would find out what was the cause and be healed. After all, her husband is a brilliant opthomologist. It was discovered that this blindness was a result of MS. How could a disease like this rear it's evil head in the body of my sister? I never considered the personal possibilities. I should have.

In 1988, I felt the first symptoms of MS. I stumbled and had difficulty with my motor skills. I have never been a person with the grace of a ballerina. Our two amazing daughters did not need a mom who could not be a part of their active normal world. All my research suggested that MS is not a disease of heredity. It can't be. We have two precious and perfect daughters. I cannot be the contributor of any difficulties in their lives. I went to a neurologist who ran the typical tests. I was fitted with what was a reminder of an aviator's helmet. For several minutes - or was it hours - I watched whirling shapes and images. Then I got the "privilege" of being placed in what felt like a toilet paper tube for the first of many MRIs. I didn't fight the MRI too much. After all, I could now prove that really had a brain! The neurologist read all the information gathered from these tests picturing what was wrong. I went to his office to hear his analysis. I do not remember much except his giving me the pamphlet: Living with Multiple Sclerosis. Was that an evil joke? How does one live with MS? I could will this away. Mind over matter was my philosophy of life. I was not given the option of any medications to strengthen my body to fight this enemy. It was medical protocol to not diagnosis MS until the patient has two episodes of classic MS.

Thank goodness neurologists are now proactive.

Writing this part of my journey gives me a sense of freedom. I have been encouraged to grieve over having MS. No one died. But I guess, my life is seriously affected by MS. My life is not over; it is just different from my expectations.

Bitter sweet

Today is a flooding me with memories - memories of the staff members at my last school. I was invited to a breakfast and celebration at a local restaurant with my friends from my last school. I was greeted warmly by special friends. Matt is a man I consider my adopted son. He is an amazing friend, baseball coach, English teacher, and father. Ryan is his young daughter. She is a blessed little girl. Friends are leaving the school for other opportunities. So many are real spirits of love and caring. They have been there for me, expecting nothing in return. I will be grateful to have been a part of their journey.

After the breakfast, some very dear friends convinced me to go to the annual "Book Signing" for staff that will not return next school year. The school superintendent spends a great deal of time selecting a book for each "retiree" - one that has personal meaning for each. The occasion is one of thanks and goodbyes. I am sorry I cannot add visuals to the description of this tender day. I probably am the only person alive without a digital camera or a camera on my cell phone.

Leaving school should have been more difficult. But, I know there are other paths I need to travel. However, the aspect of the school I will miss the most are the many students that I was able to meet and to see the amazing adults they are becoming. So many come to mind - Sarah, Chad, Laura, Dani, Josh, Amber, Megan, Chuck, Zac, Taylor, and Kyle. Kyle is a young man who made me have a new appreciation of young people.

When Kyle was in my class several years ago, it was apparent to me that this young man was trying to hide his true abilities. His heart is tender; his mind is eager; his physical abilities and work ethic are unmatched. Kyle was the typical teen aged young man. He had many friends. He played football with a vengeance. He drove his parents to distraction at times. But, Kyle above all is my "knight in shining armor". After one of my exacerbations, I had difficulty driving for about a month. This young man told me that he wanted to drive me to and from school. He would come to be my driver to school at about 6:15 AM. He and his dad would load me - no easy task - in my van. Kyle would then drive me to school. After school and football practice, I would be returned home. Kyle wanted his "chore" kept a secret. He is very humble. His kindnesses did not go unnoticed. Whenever I hear others rant and rave about today's teens, I want them to know about my "kids"; they are amazing young adults - not perfect but honest and "real".

It does not make an adult weak to accept help from a young person. Say "Thank you"; this utterance is such simple and yet powerful words.

Disability or Ability

I was watching Ellen today. The intriguing guest was a twenty year old, Patrick Henry Hughes. He was unable to walk and was blind from birth. Both of these conditions sometimes are seen as disabilities. Patrick noted that he viewed both as abilities. Without them, he stated that he would not be the person he was. Because he was blind literally, he did not have any preconceived picture of a person. Size, race, and ethnicity did not affect his perception of a person. Even though Patrick had no formal musical training and struggled because of the maneuverability of his arms, he played the piano beautifully and sang like an angel. He played completely by just hearing the notes. What an amazing inspiration he was.

Part of my "novel"

I promised to include in my posts part of my novel. An exerpt follows:

How did I end up here? What am I to learn? My grandfather taught by example: God will never give me more than I can handle without giving me an escape from the problem. I have got to find "the window". It's a weird place. I am at a rehabilitation facility after yet another exacerbation of my MS. I was sent to the hospital initially by a caregiver who evaluated me to have a low blood pressure and a even lower body temperature. The ambulance took me to a local hospital. I am all alone and scared. The blood results showed a multitude of problems: low thyroid, anemia, heart concerns, low B12, low blood sugar. Generally, I was a mess. After stabilizing me, I was transferred to a rehabilitation facility. My first roommate was an older very sweet lady.

My roommate had packed all her belongings and was so excited to go "home". She was waiting for her daughters to take her home. They never came. Why? She was so down, but she went on to bed. During the night, I heard her thrashing around. This was unusual. I called out to her; no answer. She continued to thrash around, so I pushed the call button to have someone check on her. After what seemed like hours, a CNA came in. I was told to not worry; she was just having a bad dream. The unrest continued. I saw her outstretched frail arm through the curtain that divided our room. Suddenly, there was a crash. All of the things on her bedside table hit the floor. I pushed the call button again. Someone finally came into our room after I yelled out for help. Observing all the commotion scared me. No one seemed to know what to do. An RN finally came in. She uttered a string of expletives. Apparently, my roommate was having a seizure. She was immediately given an injection to stop the seizure. It was only after the injection was it determined that she was a diabetic; her blood sugar was dangerously low. An ambulance was summoned. The paramedics came quickly. I still remember the chaos. My roommate was whisked away. The paramedics were snickering. When I asked them to explain the situation, I was told that the anti-seizure injection was the worst thing to do. Her diabetes should have been documented in her chart, and the sugar level should have been checked first. I still remember one paramedic telling me the lack of correct treatment was not unusual; I was told to be assertive about my treatment. This warning was not the last time a medical team member uttered these words. Was this the result of being old?
My first roommate never returned. The lost daughters appeared one day to retrieve my roommate's possessions. They did tell me that she survived, and she was going to a new facility. That same morning, the nurse practitioner came in to evaluate me. He was very caring and professional; I was relieved. He said that not many residents had the potential for leaving this facility. He encouraged me to fight. I soon discovered what he meant.

I became the mouthpiece for those who couldn't or wouldn't intervene in their treatment.


Even though this attempt at a novel will probably never be published; just putting the words on paper is therapeutic.

Can I write a book??

Since I have time on my hands, I have decided to attempt to fill the hours I had spent grading essays writing a book. Having people view you as "old" is no fun. "Growing old" in this society is the "pits". I have always been a bit outspoken if I felt passionate about something. Being the mouthpiece for those less willing to speak out is a real joy for me.

My book already has a title: If the Door Closes, Look for a Window. The adventures I have experienced could be an Academy Award winning movie. As our girls were growing up, the stories are endless. Slipping and sliding in spilled bacon grease, catching Charlene, and begging to be disciplined after a difficult time at church are only a few. I will try to protect my family by not disclosing too many details.

The experience of surviving the many days spent in rehabilitation over the last ten years after bad episodes of MS must have some valid purpose. It is amazing what one can learn about human nature in a rehabilitation facility. Some experiences were incredible. However, some were helpful in gathering material for my book. I have learned the hard way that acceptance of a bad situation is not forced upon someone. Standing up and not being afraid is a learned skill. Having the spirit of bucking the system is empowering.

Welcome to Mrs. H's attempt to blog

I have taught many students during my time in the classroom. Each year's students presented new challenges, but they all shared the same desire for acceptance, fairness, compassion, and caring. Even though MS made teaching physically difficult, I always felt - and still do - that I could contribute something to the lives of my "kids". Life is just different in retirement. I may have a body that some days does not work, but I still have much to share. I want to keep in touch with my ex-students, so blogging may give me that ability. I still care.

PS: MS makes my typing full of errors. (That may only be an excuse for my poor spelling. I am sure my first grade teacher would be horrified. Sorry, Mrs. Compton.)