Heartaches and tears

God never promised us a bed of roses but sometimes my "bed" has more thorns than roses. Ha!

Last August 4 Mother and I traveled to Georgia for our families 100th Pell Family reunion. It was so good to see family members again after five years. We also visited Mothers brother, Uncle Hershel, who was very sick. He was glad to see us. As it turned out, it was to be the last time we visited with him, for three weeks later he passed away.



While we were there in Georgia, Mother had a light heart attack. All of our large family came together and prayed for her. Uncle Windell, who is a pastor, anointed her with oil as all the members prayed. She came through the light attack without going to the hospital or doctor. We all praised God for His mercy and kindness toward her.



After we returned home to Maryland, mother went to the hospital to have some tests done. They showed no damage to her heart but the cat scan did reveal a cancer in her left lung. Of course, it concerned us very much. She was directed to go to Havre de Grace to a pulmonary surgeon to have the mass evaluated. He performed a broncoscopy procedure to procure a sample of the mass. However, he could not get close enough to actually get any cells from the mass. He told her that he would "watch" it's growth, if any, but having her get another cat scan done in two months. Then we would decide together what could be done in the way of treatment.



Last week Mother had her cat scan done at Upper Chesapeake Hospital. Today we went to Havre de Grace to see Dr. Puthawalla again. He compared the two scans and did not see any evidence of growth. However, he noticed Mother is continuing to lose weight and feels very drained almost every day. Now the plan is to go to Franklin Square Hospital for another advanced broncoscopy after the first of January 2011. So, that is where we stand for the time being. By the time I write about this again, we should know something of what the plans are for treatment of mothers condition.



Our year has been a busy one, lots of things going on. More sadness. Our beloved pet, Otis, passed away on November 1st. We had him for almost 10 years. He died of cancer of the prostat. He fought hard and without complaint for six weeks before his end. Needless to say, my husband and I, as well as my mother, were devastated by our loss. It was like losing a member of our family, as indeed he had been for so long.



We couldn't stand the silence in the house, no toenails tip-tapping on the floors. No barking when the doorbell rang or when another dog barked on the t.v. Our daughter knew how empty we felt inside so she got on the computer and googled "Pet-finders." We had the chance to view many rescued pets that needed new homes. We were hooked! Marie found us several pug dogs who needed adopting but each one we called Molly's Place Rescue about was already adopted. But, the lady told us she had just gotten in a little 3 1/2 year old female who had been rescued out of a puppy mill. Charles and I drove to Mechanicsburg, Pa. the very next day to see her.



Oh, what a beautiful little dog she was. To make a long story short, we adopted her. Her name is "Krickett" and she's the sweetest little dog right from the get-go. She got a high fever a day and a half after we got her home. My heart was heavy because we had just spent a great deal of money to take care of Otis and his problem before losing him. Now we were going on the same road with Krickett, our new pet. Well, the vet diagnosed Krickett with infection from the spaying just days before we brought her home. Plus, he could feel something that wasn't right in her lower abdomin. Oh, no! Our hearts dropped. We gave her all the medicines the vet gave us and then took her back for another visit several days later. Good news is that the something that he had felt was smaller and not as touchy now. And that's where we are with her. She's still an adorable, lovable dog and we love her dearly. Maybe our summer of upsets finally has come to a slower pace. Now that winter is almost here and the holidays are almost upon us, perhaps we can settle our hearts down a bit too. You think? God bless you all out there.

It's the 25th of June, 2010. School was out for John Carroll on the 11th of June. And, boy, was I glad! As any homemaker knows, when you work away from home five days a week, whether full or part time, all the other work around your house gets put on the back burner. It waits until you have the time to do it. Well, I'm doing "catch up" now. Not only have I tried to get the house cleaned to a presentable level, I also do the garden work and see to the upkeep of the flowers and shrubs around the house. It's a very satisfying endeavor. So far I have trimmed the huge hedge beside my mother's front door and started cleaning out the stones and weeds in the small flower bed beside my deck. Well, the hedge trimming took two days in the 96 degree heat. I also got a light case of pollen poisoning again and couldn't talk normally for half a day.

Mother has helped me in the garden as much as her arthritic back will allow. We spent a couple days weeding in the garden and pampering the new seedlings with water since it hasn't rained much.

I love to sew also, so I have fixed four shirts for my hubby, cutting the long sleeves off above the elbows and making them short sleeves for the summer. Then, just yesterday I added material to one of my mother's blouses, making it a 3/4 sleeve. She doesn't like showing her ageing arms any more so she opts for longers sleeves. I try to accomodate her when I can.

Today I have spent a good part of the morning and early afternoon on my computer. I counted about 445 e-mails, probably half of them being "junk" mail which I have tried to delete. I know I'll have three more days of deleting before I'm done. The good thing is, I've just posted my devotional on the Portions of Grace blog site. This one is titled "School Bus Devotional". I hope it will be read by many who are seeking a spiritual uplift.

The four-legged members of this family are pacing the floor, anxious to be fed for the evening, so I will cut my blog short for the day. I leave you with blessings from God and His Son, Jesus.

I See Him

I see Him in the heavens

when the stars shine so bright,

and beyond the farthermost moonbean

I search for Him at night.

I see Him in the sunshine

that kisses the flowers face.

I see Him and I feel Him

for He is in every place.

E.B.R.

"And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me."

John 12:45 (KJV)

This has been a trying month with my mother being sick for the first time this winter. She caught a cold and coughed a lot. I convinced her to see her doctor and he gave her a strong medication. Still, she had to renew it a second time before it really took hold. After several more weeks of feeling like a worn out dishrag, she went back to the doctor and he took blood for testing. The results were disturbing because he said she had a "bone infection". She was put on a stronger medication.

I had seen an ad for Activia and also Danactive on the television so I bought some for myself. I talked mother into trying it also. In a week or two after using both products, I asked mother if she thought they were helping her immune system. She said she felt that both the yogurt and the tasty drink were doing what they claimed to do. It made me feel much better to see some of her strength returning. The doctor told her that the older a person gets, the immune system grows weaker. Well, she's 87 years "young" but her mind is still seventeen. God bless her and let her stay here with her family a while longer. Amen.

SNOW!

I guess everyone is sick of seeing that fluffy white stuff after three snows since the first of this year. I have shoveled until I think my hands have glued themselves to the handle permanently. Just when I think we've come to the end of the shoveling, it snows again. Twice my husband and I have cleared our parking areas and driveway out, layed our shovels aside and rested, only to find it snowing again the next morning. Enough is enough, already! I'm beginning to think we live in Alaska! How I long to see spring again. In fact, here is a poem I wrote many years ago about spring.



SPRINGS PREVIEW



Silly little tulips, peeking from the ground.

Do they know something I don't know?

Or, do they stick their heads up just to look around

and see if there is yet a trace of snow?



Don't they know it's winter and spring is long away?

Old man Frost has still a trick or two.

But, those silly little tulip heads look like they're here to stay.

I wonder, if it snows, what they will do?



Perhaps they all got lonesome, so long beneath the ground,

and came up for a peek at Gods blue sky.

Then maybe they're a preview of springs lovely sound,

silently pushing winters chill on by.

E.B.R.


I hope you all enjoy this poem.

The Story Teller

When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a cild, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 1Corinthians 13:11

I was a story teller. I loved making up stories at night when my two sisters and I lay in our beds. In the summer when our room was hot, we fanned ourselves with comic books to cool off so we could go to sleep. It was then that my sisters begged me to tell them a story.

They wanted a scary story this time, so I began. "Bloody bones, I'm on the first step." I paused for affect. "Bloody bones, I'm on the second step. Bloody bones, I'm on the third step."

I thought I heard a creaking on the stairs as if something was on them.

"Bloody bones, I'm on the sixth step. Bloody bones..." I went on in an increasingly intense tone, creating an imaginary boogeyman coming up the twelve steps. Finally the creature was at the door. "Bloody bones, I'm by your bed." I could hear my two sisters breathing grow heavy and fast. Gene, who lay beside me, scooted closer, her slip damp with sweat.

"Bloody bones," I said with a deep voice. I paused, then said in an unearthly voice, "GOTCHA!"

Screams erupted from both my sisters. I felt a sweet satisfaction in my chest and couldn't help laughing at my frightened siblings.

"Girls! Quiet down and go to sleep!" Orders from Mother.

I had to go to the bathroom, but I was afraid in the dark room. Yep! I was a story teller.


Father, thank you for the imagination and the ability to put it in writing. May it be pleasing to You and glorify Your Name. Amen

(c) 2010
E. Bonnie Ryan

Is This Really Christmas?

The air is peaceful, cold and still.
The stars twinkle at night.
The cat slinks in the shadows while
birds twitter in the moonlight.
But...is this really Christmas?

Shoppers scurry downtown,
purchases piling high.
Nervous voices chatter,
weary as the hours fly by.
But...is this really Christmas?

Footsteps tread through the snow,
a deliberate, peaceful walk;
Into church to kneel and worship.
There is no need to talk.
THIS...is REALLY Christmas.