oldsoldierfadingfast
oldsoldierfadingfast's JournalOK. so you haven't heard from me...
for awhile. Mid-summer, CFS/ME faded away more of me taking me down to 71# and letting me walk about 15 feet before I had to sit down. BUT! The ole gal is on her way back.
In the last month, I have gained back 7# (all in the wrong places - none on my butt, so I still have to carry a pillow around) but I can get to the kitchen to fed myself and Henry, who tells me in dog years he is older than I am. Still go to DU when ever possible to 'catch up' but realize I am still far behind.
Still don't have the energy to be up long enough to type but I can point and click recs. With the great help I have from my angel friends, I will be back to whatever my normal is going to be pretty soon and I will be able to get my words, for whatever they are worth, out to each of you again.
Saved the best part of news for last. On the second day of early voting, my angels got me dressed, into the car and took me to vote in person. It was worth the effort as my crimson county 'almost' turned blue!
There ain't nuthin' like...
your own bed! Got discharged from hospital this past week - discharge diagnosis - 'fading at a faster pace than usual'. But, after a week, I bounced back overnight - just as quickly as overnight, I had gone down.
Think my biggest problem now is Henry (the 13 yo Yorkie that owns me). His caretakers spoiled him rotten while I as gone. He wants to be hand or spoon fed on the sofa. He gained wt, to 4. 8 lbs and the vet wants him back to his usual 4 lbs. He wants to be picked up and put on the sofa/bed rather than using his steps. AND, he is not talking to me right now as one the first things I did when I got home was to cut his nails, trim his hair (it was dragging the floor about 2 inches) and give him a bath.
About a month before the hosp. trip, my friend, Grace, found a lady to come 4 hours/day, 4 days/week. She is an Angel! In her 1st week, she rid my house of a 10 year collection of pollen and dust, washed all my windows and now has begun working on my clutter.
She, too, has some problems which I fortunately could help her resolve as she was helping me resolve mine. Our worst problem turned out to be that she is a day person and I am a night owl. Now, she lets me sleep until its time for me to call Grace and let her know I am still alive or else have EMTs knocking on my door; then she awakens me with a cup of coffee in her hand.
I was wrong; there is something better than your own bed; it is having what some people call having 'true friends'. However, I KNOW they are really 'Angels in disquise'. They supply the work/help I need while letting me think I am still capable of living alone and being independent! Right now, I would roll on the floor laughing at myself if I thought I could get back up again.
When 12 yo, I went to DC...
never having heard of National Cemeteries until we visited Arlington. It never crossed my mind that I would ever return for the funerals of friends I would be attending there when I became an adult. The area where the Viet Nam Memorial was so different back then and I didn't know that I would return some day to read the names of those I knew.
I did not know then that my own brother's ashes would be put in a National Cemetery (in CO) where I am unable to visit.
While I will never be be laid to rest in a noted cemetery, my ashes will be placed in a cemetery where my 6th great-grandfather is buried and has an ARW plaque on his grave. The property where he was buried was his and is still in our family and I own a portion of it. This cemetery is little known and difficult to get to; but for me to be there along side of one of the first defenders of our democracy lies and that I, 6 generations later did my part to defend what he fought for, is honor enough for me.
I will spend the rest of this day in mourning all the souls lost in defending that democracy and for those who loved them; and in prayer that we never ever allow that democracy be taken from us.
Does anyone here know...
where the flags that fly over our government buildings were made?
I ask this after reading the post from CountAllVotes re: the flag she received following the death of her veteran husband.
It is a crying shame that an American vet did not get an American made flag instead of one made in China; he was not fighting for China, he was fighting for his country and should be rewarded for such by his country.
It will be a CRYING OUT LOUD shame if we do not have American made flags proudly waving over every fed. controlled building in this county.
To all DUers, here's...
a quote that I keep pasted on the side of my computer: It describes my feelings for all of you - well, most all of you anyway! lol
"But oh! the blessing it is to have a friend to whom one can speak fearless on any subject; with whom one's deepest as well as one's most foolish thoughts come out simply and safely. Oh, the comfort --- the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person ---having neither to weigh thoughts nr measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as ther are, chaff and grain together; certain that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping and then with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.
1866 - Dinah Maria Mulock Craik in a book titled, "A Life for a Life"
To each of you...
who reced or replied to my post, a big hug and a sincere thank you.
I was doing my best to wallow in self pity yesterday when I read all your posts. Then Grace came to bring groceries; she had already put them away when she came down to my bedroom, bringing flowers - one from her, one from the florist and another from the vet's office.
I was so totally overcome with emotions that I have no words to describe them.
If love actually is what makes the world go around, it is people like you who keep it spinning.
Love and hugs to each of you and all the other DUers who keep me going.
Tonight will be...
the first time in 57 years that unless I was not home myself, there will be only one dog in bed with me.
Early this AM, I called my friend, Grace, to say my sweet Yorkie shadow was very ill and need to go to the vet. Grace alerted the vet, then came to get her.
The vet saw and admitted her immediately, saying to come back at 4:30.
At 2:40, my friend called me to say the vet had called her (as he knows I do not hear well) to say Eden had peacefully passed away. She and her husband went to get her and bring her home.
They brought her into my bedroom for me to hold and kiss her one last time. After holding her still warm body, I laid it on her pillow beside mine and let her half-brother smell her; he seem to just 'know'.
Husband went outside to dig a grave beside my last 3 Yorkies while Grace and I went into the den where I placed her in 'her' spot on the sofa and her brother took his place on the pillows at the other end.
I did manage to get to the 'cemetery' and be the one to lay her to rest but required help getting back.
After getting me settled in the den with a cup of coffee, Grace took Henry (a #4 lb. Yorkie who never goes outside of the wood fence due to a previous hawk scare) outside. He headed for the open gate, walked across the parking lot, then down to the end of the tree line and stopped, looked down toward the cemetery, laid down and stared, got up and headed back to the house. Again, he seemed to know.
Over the years, I have lived with 14 dogs; she, at 12 y.o. is the youngest I have ever lost, including my Irish Setters whose lives are usually shorter than small dogs. (One of the Setters lived to be almost 18.) The Chihuahua was 21. I was not prepared to lose her.
All but 4 of my dogs have died in my arms. One of the four died cuddled in bed, with his best-bud, my housemate who cleaned his butt occasionally but never gave him a bath or trimmed his nails. Edie did not get ...
Not one of my hairy kids can ever be replaced, but, I did need to fill the empty spot where his/her food bowl sat and I got another dog. This time I will have to remove the bowl and tonight sleep with only one dog in my bed. Tomorrow, I will have to deal with my shadow not following every step I take.
One last story: I have one of those backs that 'goes out' on occasion and can cause incredible and debilitating pain. One night, I awakened with an aching back and could not get comfortable in my extremely hard bed - I had to have something harder. Got up and threw a pillow and quilt on the floor and there I fell asleep. Awake in the morning, the only thing on my mind was, thank heavens, there was no emergency where the rescue squad had to be called as they would find me on the floor and my four dogs on the bed. (2 Setters, an American Eskimo and a Silky Terrier)
Re: Today's post- inaug. events...
As my Southern, Brethren Church member Grandma, usta say to me, "This too shall pass."
Now, me to Grandma: I believe you, Grandma; but, look at all we have to go thru before it does. And, how many of us will even still be alive when it does?
For as long as I can, I will continue to fight for democracy for coming generations just as my WWII parents and their generation fought for me, my generation and the ones that followed - until now.
I have faith in the younger people that I know and their generation. It is up to us to teach the the truth.
I have never seen this before...
that I can remember.
I live in SW VA, on the border with NC. It is sunny and bright but 27 degrees here now and predicted to go down to 11 tonight. Will not be above freezing until Thur.
As I just looked out a south facing window, I saw my front yard and pasture filled with Robins.
Where can they go as the temp. drops.
I am really upset and worried for them. Robins have always been my harbinger for spring and today sure ain't spring!
Something I read this morning...
triggered a memory of a book I once read called 'A Mouse that Roared'. It is a satire on 1950s American politics that was in an uproar.
Written by Leonard Wibberbey, it was 1st published as a serial in the Sat. Evening Post starting in Dec 1954 and in 1955 by Little and Brown as a book.
Wikipedia has a good write up on its plot.
I wish someone that is like-minded and with good writing skills will check this out and come up with something similar about our present day American politics. The plot is fairly short, funny and worth the read.
Some day, I will tell you what my feisty Grandma told me about my wishes. Why wait, I'll tell you now.
She told me to shit in one hand, wish in the other and see which one gets filled first.
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Member since: Sun Jul 21, 2024, 04:53 PMNumber of posts: 222