There are times that I problems with my watch not working. For a while I had to use the old style wind up wrist watch because the battery watches would spin it's hands too fast. I first noticed this after I moved to Iowa from Tennessee. This story is about my watch stopping.
I was on call that night and looked at my watch when the pager went off. One of my own had died and I quickly got dressed to go to pronounce. The patient's home was about 65 miles away. T insisted that he drive me; he knew how tired I was. When we got to the van I checked my watch to record the time . That is when I realized that my watch had stopped. I borrowed T's watch.
When I got to the patient's home I talked with the wife. She reported that he was calling to Jesus when he died; his hand held up in the air like he was taking someone's hand. Then he dropped back into his bed and was no longer breathing. That was the same time that my watched stopped.
Time stopped. Time is relative. Time goes on anyway. Love, Mom
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Malibu
Hollis was very proud of his Pontiac..I'm not sure what year it was but he kept it washed and waxed..The car came to an end when the engine blew on our way home from Ames to Keosauqua. His parents were very kind and co-signed with us at the Cantril Bank to buy a new Malibu...We drove it for the next 7 years...Hollis was proud that he paid it off . We talked about getting a new car but he did not want to do that. His reasoning was he did not want others to know that we could afford something new. He was financial clerk and knew that his salary at RCA gave him a better income that most of the other 3rd Ward members. The Malibu was still in excellant condition even though I had stripped the chrom off the right side when trying to back out of the little garage. It was a Sunday morning and Hollis was already at church..I was just sure he was going to yell at me.. I thought I deserved it...but he got back to the house someway..I was too upset to remember what churchmember drove him.... He looked at the predicament of what I had done with the car and was able to manuver it back out into the driveway. Later, when I asked why he was not angry with me his response was that it was too late to be angry it just needed to be fixed. I think he was able to snap the chrom strip back into place..the car was none the worse for wear.
I still hate backing out! I will do a 5-6 point turn in a small driveway so I do not have to back out!
I still hate backing out! I will do a 5-6 point turn in a small driveway so I do not have to back out!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
October visit
Chuck and Liz along with Kaden in tow came to see me. Chuck was excited to have Kaden go for go-cart rides in Pigeon Forge. With grandma in tow we went to the Track. Kaden was tall enough to ride in the big cart with is daddy and Chuck treated Liz and me to a single cart.
Getting into the cart was not a problem, little did I know that I would now become a stationary fixture attached to the cart itself, but I'm getting ahead of the story. The green light came on and I had problems figuring out how to get my cart to run . Once I figure it out then I was worried about going into the curves too fast. needless to say I was the slowest on the tack and lapped several times by the other racers. That was the least of my humiliation.
When the end of the race came, as indicated by the red traffic light, I dutifully pulled into the back of the line of carts. Then I discovered with great horror that I could not get out of the cart! Since there are no sides to the little beast I could not leverage myself up, my knees were pinned under the steering wheel so I could not get my knees under me. The steering wheel had me pinned to the back of the seat.
Thinking I could do better if I could get my leg up over the steering wheel I managed to do this acrobatice maneuver. Then, when I reached over to lean on out of the cart and push up onto the little sidewalk at the edge of the track I discovered that not only was it too low for leverage but that it was also to far away to support my attempt. Now I am stuck, with my posterior flashing high and no place to go!
Liz turned and realized my perdicament and started to run to my aid , The track attendant also started to race over..for I was slowing the next batch of riders from getting started. With Liz's hand on mine and a heavy tug I was dislodged from the vehicle. Kaden suggested that next time grandma should just watch.
I told this to some of my patients the next week, they wanted to know if anyone had made of vidio . Thank goodness , no! But, they all said, it would have gotten you money from the tv show America's Funniest Videos. I think I can do without that money.. Love, Grandma.
Getting into the cart was not a problem, little did I know that I would now become a stationary fixture attached to the cart itself, but I'm getting ahead of the story. The green light came on and I had problems figuring out how to get my cart to run . Once I figure it out then I was worried about going into the curves too fast. needless to say I was the slowest on the tack and lapped several times by the other racers. That was the least of my humiliation.
When the end of the race came, as indicated by the red traffic light, I dutifully pulled into the back of the line of carts. Then I discovered with great horror that I could not get out of the cart! Since there are no sides to the little beast I could not leverage myself up, my knees were pinned under the steering wheel so I could not get my knees under me. The steering wheel had me pinned to the back of the seat.
Thinking I could do better if I could get my leg up over the steering wheel I managed to do this acrobatice maneuver. Then, when I reached over to lean on out of the cart and push up onto the little sidewalk at the edge of the track I discovered that not only was it too low for leverage but that it was also to far away to support my attempt. Now I am stuck, with my posterior flashing high and no place to go!
Liz turned and realized my perdicament and started to run to my aid , The track attendant also started to race over..for I was slowing the next batch of riders from getting started. With Liz's hand on mine and a heavy tug I was dislodged from the vehicle. Kaden suggested that next time grandma should just watch.
I told this to some of my patients the next week, they wanted to know if anyone had made of vidio . Thank goodness , no! But, they all said, it would have gotten you money from the tv show America's Funniest Videos. I think I can do without that money.. Love, Grandma.
Sunday, January 4, 2009
little daily miracles
I'm back, I thought I would share with family a series of miracles that happened last Tuesday.
I was on call Monday night and went to make a visit to a family I had not met before. They were distressed because mama was dying and wanted a nurse to come out and tell them what they already knew. I go home about 1:30 am Tuesday morning. Climbed into bed hoping that no more calls would come in but expected one from the family I had just visited.
Suddenly, out of a very sound sleep I woke up. I looked at my bedside clock and noted the time was 5:47am..almost time for the 6am alarm to sound. I wondered what had shook me out of such a sound sleep! Uggh...I rolled over and tried to get a few more zzzz's..slapped the alarm off when it sounded...struggled with getting the bed off my back and had one leg out from under the covers when the phone rang.. 6:20am...Above family called... Mama is gone, come right away.
It was later in the visit that a granddaughter reported that her grandmother had died about 5:45 am..So that is who woke me up! She was giving me the head's up to get out of bed to get to her house and family.
On the way to her home I saw a beautiful sunrise!
Later that morning I was using the ladies room at Hardee's in Oliver Springs (water pills were doing their work). I opened the door for a lady who had her arms full of goodies, she looked up through the door as I held open for her and then said, "How beautiful you look!" Wow, if that didn't make my day!
I made a visit to a patient that is a vocal teacher and choir director at her Methodist Church. We had shared stories about selecting music and how thrilled we both were when the minister's talk corralated with the selected hymns chosen weeks earlier. I had told her that I was singing a solo in Church for the Christmas program. This Tuesday she asked me to sing it for her. Then she critiqued it..She was very kind in her comments..
So you see, I had many small miracles on Tuesday...I hope you found some too. Love , Mom.
I was on call Monday night and went to make a visit to a family I had not met before. They were distressed because mama was dying and wanted a nurse to come out and tell them what they already knew. I go home about 1:30 am Tuesday morning. Climbed into bed hoping that no more calls would come in but expected one from the family I had just visited.
Suddenly, out of a very sound sleep I woke up. I looked at my bedside clock and noted the time was 5:47am..almost time for the 6am alarm to sound. I wondered what had shook me out of such a sound sleep! Uggh...I rolled over and tried to get a few more zzzz's..slapped the alarm off when it sounded...struggled with getting the bed off my back and had one leg out from under the covers when the phone rang.. 6:20am...Above family called... Mama is gone, come right away.
It was later in the visit that a granddaughter reported that her grandmother had died about 5:45 am..So that is who woke me up! She was giving me the head's up to get out of bed to get to her house and family.
On the way to her home I saw a beautiful sunrise!
Later that morning I was using the ladies room at Hardee's in Oliver Springs (water pills were doing their work). I opened the door for a lady who had her arms full of goodies, she looked up through the door as I held open for her and then said, "How beautiful you look!" Wow, if that didn't make my day!
I made a visit to a patient that is a vocal teacher and choir director at her Methodist Church. We had shared stories about selecting music and how thrilled we both were when the minister's talk corralated with the selected hymns chosen weeks earlier. I had told her that I was singing a solo in Church for the Christmas program. This Tuesday she asked me to sing it for her. Then she critiqued it..She was very kind in her comments..
So you see, I had many small miracles on Tuesday...I hope you found some too. Love , Mom.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
angels around me
I've been slow to blog. Maybe you noticed. I have been working long hours and exhaustion hits and bed looks more appealing than the blog site. There is one story that happened the last weekend. I was on call and went to this patients home. I was sitting next to her bed and I kept seeing someone out of the corner of my eye, I would turn and no one would be there. It finally hit me what I was seeing.
I asked her family if there were parants who had gone on before . They reponded that her father and mother were both on the other side. Then I felt impressed to tell them that there was an angel, a man, who was coming to be with her. The daughter's gasped and said it must be her father, she was very close to him. They asked me to describe him and I could not..I could only see him out of the corner of my eye.
There was another time that I saw angels. I was at the Washington, Missourie ward. I had arrived earlier than the other family members so I brought out my scriptures and was reading in my car. I saw people come down the frount steps dressed in white and I looked up to give them a smile only to find noone there. This happened several times. Then I finally understood. Angels were here to be with the Hervey family during Ford's funeral. That gave me great peace to my heart. Angels are around me..and you, too. Love, Mom
I asked her family if there were parants who had gone on before . They reponded that her father and mother were both on the other side. Then I felt impressed to tell them that there was an angel, a man, who was coming to be with her. The daughter's gasped and said it must be her father, she was very close to him. They asked me to describe him and I could not..I could only see him out of the corner of my eye.
There was another time that I saw angels. I was at the Washington, Missourie ward. I had arrived earlier than the other family members so I brought out my scriptures and was reading in my car. I saw people come down the frount steps dressed in white and I looked up to give them a smile only to find noone there. This happened several times. Then I finally understood. Angels were here to be with the Hervey family during Ford's funeral. That gave me great peace to my heart. Angels are around me..and you, too. Love, Mom
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
PHT
Hollis was in his Senior year at ISU. We moved to an attic apartment not far from campus. Hollis was still working in Nevada, Ia. repairing television and found an old, old, small round television out on the junk pile sans casing. He brought it to the apartment and that was our first television. The bathroom consisted of a shower and toilet in a closet, to wash our hands we had to go to the kitchen sink.
Hollis spent much of his time at the library with the excuse that it was too distracting to study at home...I tried to learn how to knit and crochet at that time..still can't. We almost did not graduate due to Hollis being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Lay people called it the "kissing disease" because young adults seem to come down with it more freqrently. He was admitted to the school infirmary and prognosis was not good. X-ray showed spots on his lung which turned out to be enlarged lymph nodes but doctors wanted to rule out TB.
Hollis was in the hospital for about a week with the physicians telling him that he would need to rest for the next few months to recover. This was disasterous news because ISU was changing it's engineering program from a 4 year to a five year plan and the couses he would need to finish is degree would not be offered again for another year. With greath faith we called in the elders and a blessing was given . To the amazement of his doctors Hollis was able to leave the infirmary and return to complete his classwork and graduate on time...I remember glaring at the little cute nurses that would com in to give him his bedtime backrub..and resisted being sent home because visiting hours were over.
When we moved to Indianapolis we were able to put all of our worldly belongings in the back of our Malibu. I was still working so Hollis packed us...I think that is wear my knitting needles and yarn bit the dust. I have since learned that men's possessions are good stuff and women's junk and should be packed accordingly...
We stopped in Iowa on the way to Indiana and broke the news to the famlies that we were expecting..Dad's comment was, "It's about time."
More will come later..Mom
Hollis spent much of his time at the library with the excuse that it was too distracting to study at home...I tried to learn how to knit and crochet at that time..still can't. We almost did not graduate due to Hollis being diagnosed with mononucleosis. Lay people called it the "kissing disease" because young adults seem to come down with it more freqrently. He was admitted to the school infirmary and prognosis was not good. X-ray showed spots on his lung which turned out to be enlarged lymph nodes but doctors wanted to rule out TB.
Hollis was in the hospital for about a week with the physicians telling him that he would need to rest for the next few months to recover. This was disasterous news because ISU was changing it's engineering program from a 4 year to a five year plan and the couses he would need to finish is degree would not be offered again for another year. With greath faith we called in the elders and a blessing was given . To the amazement of his doctors Hollis was able to leave the infirmary and return to complete his classwork and graduate on time...I remember glaring at the little cute nurses that would com in to give him his bedtime backrub..and resisted being sent home because visiting hours were over.
When we moved to Indianapolis we were able to put all of our worldly belongings in the back of our Malibu. I was still working so Hollis packed us...I think that is wear my knitting needles and yarn bit the dust. I have since learned that men's possessions are good stuff and women's junk and should be packed accordingly...
We stopped in Iowa on the way to Indiana and broke the news to the famlies that we were expecting..Dad's comment was, "It's about time."
More will come later..Mom
Saturday, October 11, 2008
The Old Cardboard Box
About three years ago someone gave me a tattered, old cardboard box with copies of music magazines and music books. I put it in the corner of the room not sure what I should do with it.'
Fast foreward to two months ago. I arrived a my patient's home to find her sitting outside under an umbrella. We made the usual greetings and then she asked if I had heard of a song called "Wafaring Stranger". I asked her to sing it to me. In a soft, whispery sweet voice she sang a few bars. I was touched and felt impressed that I needed to learn this sone.
I started looking by looking the words up on the internet and then looked in flea markets and bookstores for old songbooks and could not find the song. I returned home on my last attempt and turned and saw the old tattered box sitting behind the loveseat. The dust mites were stirred up as I started to plow through the magazines and there in the bottom was a book of American favorite songs. And there it was.
I brought the book to my patient and she was pleased that I cared enough to search for the music. I left the book .
The song touched me and I decided that I needed to lean it well enough to sing at November's memorial service. So I asked for the return of the music book. Before she returned it to me she asked me to sing it to her. I did..then she said, "You'll sing it at my funeral." She turned to look at me , "You will won't you." I'm not sure if that was a statement or question.
Friday night I sang it at her funeral...God moves in mysterious ways through a tattered cardboard box.
Fast foreward to two months ago. I arrived a my patient's home to find her sitting outside under an umbrella. We made the usual greetings and then she asked if I had heard of a song called "Wafaring Stranger". I asked her to sing it to me. In a soft, whispery sweet voice she sang a few bars. I was touched and felt impressed that I needed to learn this sone.
I started looking by looking the words up on the internet and then looked in flea markets and bookstores for old songbooks and could not find the song. I returned home on my last attempt and turned and saw the old tattered box sitting behind the loveseat. The dust mites were stirred up as I started to plow through the magazines and there in the bottom was a book of American favorite songs. And there it was.
I brought the book to my patient and she was pleased that I cared enough to search for the music. I left the book .
The song touched me and I decided that I needed to lean it well enough to sing at November's memorial service. So I asked for the return of the music book. Before she returned it to me she asked me to sing it to her. I did..then she said, "You'll sing it at my funeral." She turned to look at me , "You will won't you." I'm not sure if that was a statement or question.
Friday night I sang it at her funeral...God moves in mysterious ways through a tattered cardboard box.
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