Prom night, 2006

I didn't put comments on the pictures, but here they are.  Brett and Kyla got here early, and watched TV with me for a while.  She looked awesome, and Brett was handsome (don't get me started on the hair!)  I took a few pics at home, and a few in the hallway at the school, then I got out of their way.  Have a good time, Son.

Things are going great

Well, I know I haven't posted in a few days.  Life has been busy.  I got to take dad home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon.  I insisted that I be the one.  I'm selfish that way.  I dropped them off, then headed to WalMart for medication.  I won't go to that memory right now.  Let's just say that I came home with 4 out of 5 perscriptions, and nobody was hurt.  By the next day, the fifth was purchased.  'Nough said.

Dad looks awesome.  I went by to visit this morning, and nobody was in the house.  I started to get worried, then headed out to the pasture.  Sure enough, there they were...walking toward me.  Sheesh, Dad, could you wait more than 1 1/2 days before trekking out to the point?

Dad is laughing a real laugh.  Not that light, shallow, easy laugh that he had in the hospital.  He actually LAUGHS when something is funny.  That helped me a lot.  That little chuckle wasn't Dad...it was pain. 

The neighbors are awesome, the friends are awesome, and Dad is awesome.  Everything is perfect.  You have no idea how good it feels to know how good HE feels.  His chest was split, his heart was stopped, his chest filled with fluid...all one week ago.  Today, he's walking the pasture, moving the cows from one pen to the other.  Rock ON medical science.

Thanks for the well-wishes and prayers and thoughts and comments.  It means the world to me.  This is the reason I keep the AOL account!

Afraid to be let down again

Another quick update....

The chest tube was removed today (again!) and Dad looks great.  He was laughing again.  There is a small air bubble in there again, but they told us it's normal, again.  *sigh*  They will xray again tomorrow, and he MIGHT go home tomorrow.  I'm trying not to get my hopes upagain .  I want him well enough to go home, before he goes home...but I want him HOME!

I've been tending to the animals in the morning and Brett does it after school.  In the evening, it's one of the two of us doing it again.  Poor Sadie wants her mamma home.  Brett's been so good about playing frisbee with her in the afternoons, so she can burn some energy and not feel forgotten.

Is it possible to be hopeful without getting your hopes up?  I'll answer that tomorrow.  Tomorrow, when we wait.....again!

More drama

Mom and I agreed to not say much yet, but I'll post the basics here.  There has been a setback, although the doctors and nurses say not to worry.  The chest tube went back in today.  There was an air bubble and fluids in the chest cavity, around the left lung, which kept the lung from filling completely.  Dad said the pain of that tube going back in was the worst yet, but we know it's for the best.  I'm glad this turned up in the hospital, instead of 26 miles away at home, with Mom not being a driver.  Keep praying, but I know all will work out fine.  He'll be in for a least a few more days, now.

A short update

This is just a quick update on happenings with Dad.  He was moved into a regular room this morning, so the girls were able to see him a bit this afternoon.  He had an episode of his heart racing in the middle of the night, and another this morning when trying to eat breakfast.  That will be controlled with medication, and he was better this afternoon.

He's had a couple of short walks, and they removed his bandages and oxygen is the only thing on him now.  He won't ask for pain meds until it's almost too late, and that causes him to breath to shallowly.  We're trying to get him to ask sooner, but he hates meds of any kind.

Mom is spending the night up there, and they said they would get a cot, so she can sleep beside him.  That's great news, since she only slept about 1 1/2 hours night before last when she was there.  Last night, at home, we both slept great so she's more rested today.

Thanks to all of her readers for supporting her.  She needs it.

LifeNStuff is GOOD, real good.

Please visit Mom's journal.  I posted there for his readers.  Dad is great.

This is gonna sound harsh.

Just a warning, this is going to sound bratty, ungrateful, and harsh.  Don't read it if you can't handle a stressed out woman.

I am having some extreme stress right now.  Yes, I know Dad will be fine.  Yes, I believe that it's good to do this now, instead of waiting until the problems were worse.  Yes, I know.  I'm still freaking, though.  During the past day and a half, the care and concern at work is getting on my nerves.  I know people are being nice, and they really like me, and they are sincere.  I'm just not taking it well, but I do appreciate the concern.  Still:

"Let me know if I can do anything."  What are you going to do?  I live an hour from you, know you at work only, and you've never met my Dad.  There's nothing you can do.

"Are you all right?"  No.  No I'm not.  I am sad and scared and feeling lost and helpless.  I am able to function, or I wouldn't be here at work, but I'm far from OK.

"Any word on your Dad?"  I updated everyone a half hour ago, and have updated everyone each time I've heard something new.  Why would I suddenly leave you out?

"Why are you here?"  My Dad is waiting.  They aren't doing surgery, they aren't running tests, they aren't doing anything.  I'm going to miss work for the surgery, but stop making me feel like a cut-rate daughter for working during this day of waiting.

OK, it's off my chest.  I tend to ask these same nonsense questions when one of my friends is hurting.  I know they feel like they should say something, and don't know what to say.  I know they love me and they're sincere.  I just had to unload that.

Thanks.  Even if you think less of me now, thanks for letting me be me.