Just Another Day in Paradise

Saturday, July 9, 2016

Just Say No

In March of this year, Jake and two friends were asked to help the League City Police Department with their campaign "Just Say No" to drinking and driving. It was a privilege for him to participate. And I received a message from one of the officers telling me what a fine young man he is and what a pleasure he was to work with! Big Mom smile! Here's some of the pics to be used in the campaign.

Look at my sweet GIANT boy! Mr. Rocky! I'm one proud Mom! I just love this boy, he keeps my heart full! ❤️

Just Say No!

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Granny's Fall from Grace, I mean Garage!

The call you always dread getting. "Mom has fallen, I called an ambulance". Poor Granny. She was heading out the door for a doctor's appt. and fell getting out the door to the garage. The step down using her walker caused her to become unbalanced, hence the fall. She broke her Tibua (big bone) in lower leg, right below the knee. She's 84. Not an easy fall at her age. Here's a pic of her leg. Nasty!

She was admitted under observation to the hospital. They were controlling her pain with morphine pushes through a heplock. A nasty break. Ortho doc said no weight on that leg for 3 months. Sigh. Now what do we do? She was already feeble and using a walker. This was not her first fall. How does an 84 year old lady manage any mobility with a no weight bearing leg. At first, the bed pan sufficed for her potty needs. But, we soon came to realize that once she said she had to go, there wasn't enough time to wait for the aids and/or nurses to come help. I was with her the most and due to my back surgery I was not able to lift on her to assist with the bed pan. She, being old, in pain, and on pain meds, could not help lift herself. So, we decided the best option was to place a diaper, unfastened under her. Much easier to pull that out than change sheets on bed. She was in the hospital 7 days. By the end of 7 days she was now wearing the diaper, fastened, to prevent leaks. Moving her to change her bedding caused her too much pain.

We knew she could not go home. No one was able to be with her 24 hours a day as everyone has jobs. Even if someone could be with her, we knew we could not care for her in this condition. What to do? Thankfully a family friend helped get her into the hospitals rehab unit a few floors down. Now, let me back up, when she was admitted the day of her fall, she was admitted under observation. Medicare would not approve a skilled nursing center (nursing home for rehabable patients) unless her admittance status was changed to in patient care. No one wanted to change this status. But God took care of that! The next day, her blood work showed a UTI that required IV antibiotics and her O2 was low requiring oxygen. Then later that day her blood count was so low she required two units of blood. Status changed to inpatient! What a relief! So, after 9 days in the hospital's rehab unit, she was then transferred to a skilled nursing center. The Regency House. With recommendations, high ratings, and a visit to the facility, this was where Brian decided for her to heal and rehab. (Brian has power of attorney for all of her finances and health needs.). The reason for wanting her admitted under "skilled nursing" was because Medicare would pay for 100 days. Because the facility we chose didn't accept Medicade her portion is about $40 a day. Having to admit her under "custodial" would have meant the facility receiving her whole monthly income. Now, if she's not ready to go home after the 100 days and Medicare won't approve more days, then that's the route we will have to take. It can be reversed once she leaves. We just pray she will heal enough to bare weight and will be able to walk again. Even if she physically can walk, will she? Will the fear of falling again be too big for her to try? She can't stay home alone if she can't take care of her basic needs, toileting, transferring from bed to chair, etc. so then what? Bring her to our home for us to take care of? Hire someone? Continue long term nursing care in patient. Tough decisions to be made eventually. Everyone, especially the elderly, just want to be at home. As of today, July 8, doc says bone is healing, but slowly. She fell 4/12/16.

On day at a time. That's all we can do. So far, she's been ok being in the facility. Here's a few pics. I'll do an update post later.

Day 3 in hospital. Therapy got her out of bed in a chair. She was in so much pain and out of it!

Day 10, in hospital rehab unit

Day 13, therapist trying to get her to stand on one leg.

After she got her cast, sexy granny!

Our visit Memorial Day Weekend. She looks so much better!

Go Granny, Go get well!! We love you!

Monday, April 11, 2016

The Women of Lockerbie

A mother from New Jersey roams the hills of Lockerbie Scotland, looking for her son’s remains, which were lost in the crash of Pan Am 103. She meets the women of Lockerbie, who are fighting the US Government to obtain the clothing of the victims found in the plane’s wreckage. Determined to convert an act of hatred into an act of love, the women want to wash the clothes of the dead and return them to the victim’s families. A poetic drama about the triumph of love over hate.

Jake had the pleasure of playing a role in this UIL production of The Women of Lockerbie. Very touching. Jake performed excellently, as always!

I just love watching this boy! He injects his own sweet personality in to every part he plays.

The whole cast of The Women of Lockerbie. Excellent performance!

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Blooms and more blooms

After all of the hard work cutting back shrubs, weeding and mulching, comes the prettiness! I just love spring! I could spend hours on hours at the garden centers! I definitely inherited my love of flowers from my Mom. I so wish she were still here. I know my yard would look 100 times better if she were here to help! After a few trips to the garden center, here's some of my lute!

Of course, that was just trip one! My money ran out before my wishes ran out! Oh, if money wasn't an issue, how gorgeous my beds would be! I try to plant perienials, but I just can't live without the annuals too! So, here's the outcome of several trips and days digging in the dirt! Enjoy!

I always like a couple of pots with several different flowers mixed in! Above is caladiums, verbenas, coleus, and potato vine. Below is vinca and verbena. (There's a story about the potato vine!)

This beauty (below) is called a Red Sisters or a Ti plant. Isn't she gorgeous! She's since been repotted into a larger pot on the pool deck.

Below are begonias, geraniums, hydrangea, and Texas gold, with purple Jew, lilies, fountain grass and a very cut back wax leaf ligustrum.

And this next pic is a collage of my Amaryllis. I love watching it bloom!

This next pic is from my brother's house in Louisiana. After my mom passed away, my sister in law dug up Mom's amaryllis from her yard and transplanted it into her flower beds. What's really special about this pic is that it also has my grandfather's street sign in it. How cool is that!

Just a few more ...

I can't get over how this lantana (above) has taken over the verigated privet. It's so beautiful!

I love my bed behind the pool! It's adorned with purple fountain grass, hibiscus, asparagus fern, mother in law tounge, purple Jew and wild fern. The purple Jew came from my dear friend Donna's house. I started with just a few pieces and now I have tons in beds and in pots. The asparagus fern also came from a clipping at her house. You really can't see it to well in this pic, but it's huge!

Here is a better look at the fountain grass when it's in full bloom! (Below)

I love my flowers and my yard! Now, if I could just get Brian to build me this potting table!

Potting table made from recycled pallets! Looks easy enough! 👀

This mason jar is full of water (below) with several different things I'm rooting! Wild fern, angel fern, asparagus fern, purple Jew, potato vine and lantana. Maybe if I go get the pallets he will get it done! Yes, I think that's the plan!

This potato vine (below), as mentioned above, has a story! I broke off a piece from a large pot at a hotel in Dallas. Our trip there for my three week post op appt, the hotel had several very large pots full of this potato vine. I broke a tiny piece off, placed in a bottle of water and a week later it had roots! Look at it now! I call it Dallas!

This wild fern (below) also has a special story! While pregnant with Jake, 18 years ago, my Mom came for a visit and we took a walk on a trail close to our home. We saw the fern growing under large trees. It was gorgeous! My mom pulled up some and planted it in my flower bed. It grew like crazy and multiplied! After she passed away, the fern became a special memory for me. As we were preparing to sale that house, I pulled some up and put it in a large pot to take with me. I've since started a new pot as well as planting some in the bed behind the pool.

This is the new pot I've started. (Below) And, it has purple Jew mixed in!

This split leaf philodendron (below) also came from my friend Donna's plants. I helped her separate and repot hers and of course, brought some home!

Aloe Vera (below). Everyone should have an Aloe plant! We use them for burns, bites, scrapes and cuts. I had to start a new pot as Marlee broke my coffee cup pot. I always start with the babies as this plant grows quickly and also multiplies! I've given many people enough to start their own pots!

This next plant is called an Angel plant, (below). It's also dear to my heart as on the 12th anniversary of my Mom's death, I walked into the garden center at Walmart and it was the first plant I saw, and how appropriate that it was called an Angel plant. It was very small, but has grown by leaps and bounds!

And, last, but not least, a small pot on my patio table with purple Jew, also known as wandering Jew. This stuff will grow any and every where! I have it in pots, beds, and it shows up in weird places like the cracks in between the house foundation and patio slab!