Yep! My kind of day....

After a morning of church, then lunch at my brother's, I came home, put down the garage door and slept. The weather was perfect for doing this. I tried to watch some football, but just couldn't stay awake. I wanted to read a book, but just couldn't stay awake. Maybe tomorrow will be more productive, but if it isn't , that's OK, too! I don't even care about being productive right now.

In the last two days, I saw a republican congressman behave badly, a tennis player (Serena Williams) behave badly, and an entertainer (?) (Kanye West) behave worse than the other two combined. What is happening to our people? It's embarrassing!

Much needed busy day!

A friend of mine is on the Board of Directors of the Louisiana March of Dimes and today there was a brunch fundraiser at El Dorado casino. He had already bought a table at the event, but he could not go because he had a ribbon cutting of his new business tonight, so 7 of us filled up his table for him and enjoyed the brunch. He wouldn't have enjoyed it anyway because it was mostly a women's event with a style show and girlie stuff.

Tonight I went to the ribbon cutting of his new business, which is an event center called Orleans on Main in Minden. He has renovated an old building on Main Street and it is absolutely beautiful and already booked through the end of the year. He had the opening catered and had live music for entertainment. Very classy...just like him.

The only time I had today to go see Dad was between these two events and usually at that time Mom is trying to rest, so I didn't go. First time in a month that I didn't see my dad, but when I called tonight, my brother was there and Dad had several visitors today. I'll go tomorrow.

Never FORGET the morons who did this to us 8 years ago today!

Never EVER forget!

Good news/bad news!

The good news is that my brother just called me after they saw the radiation doctor. Doc said he could barely see any evidence of the tumor on the tomotherapy CT scan, so he thinks the radiation has helped. On the other hand, Dad is worn completely out because he had to wait 45 minutes before he got his treatment today, then another 45 minutes before seeing the doctor. He is just too weak to do that. They are on their way home. Mom went with them today, so I'm sure my brother is worn out as well.

This morning my friend from high school that loves my dad came over and filled the two raised beds that she brought last spring with compost, and then planted all sorts of fall vegetables including potatoes, carrots, Swiss chard, kale, collards, and all kinds of stuff that I don't even know what it is. Dad cannot see well enough to watch it grow, but I can and I will take care of it.

I found it!

This is the song Dad was talking about. Of course, the waterworks started all over again.

People are nice!

I stopped by the barber shop on my way to get Dad and told the barber that I would be bringing Dad back to get all his hair cut off. When I got Dad back to the shop, there were two men ahead of him. They both told the barber to go ahead and get Dad first. I was so thankful that they did that. Dad is too weak to sit and wait. Everyone knows my dad, but Dad can't see them enough to know who they are.

He also told me who he wanted to sing at his funeral and what he wanted them to sing...a song that I am not familiar with called, "I Have Returned".

Praying for the angels to come...

I am doing these posts, I guess, mostly for me since my mind won't focus on anything else. Computer games help, but I am still thinking all the time. Today, Dad is only able to walk with a cane or a walker. Thankfully, we already had both at home since Mom already uses a cane and a walker and we have left over ones from other family members who have gone on to their heavenly home. He can barely talk. I am going tomorrow to take him to the barber to get his hair all cut off since it is falling out everywhere. Then my brother is taking him for his treatment tomorrow afternoon. We have already decided that brother will use one of the wheel chairs located at the front door of the cancer center to get him on back to the radiation department. I almost wish they just wouldn't do any more radiation on him. It's just killing him. His head is all burned.

Once again I couldn't take it today to see him so pitiful. I just walked all over the property and cried. I didn't want him to know I was crying, but he can't see me anyway. His vision is even more gone. I saw his little stool out in his berry patch where he sat to do the last little work that he was able to do. I wanted to move it, but I couldn't. I wonder how long it takes for all the tears to be used up. Where do they keep coming from?

We dug a few of my  brothers sweet potatoes today. Only one of the four varieties he planted was ready. The others are still small. These are a white potato and we have no idea how they taste. They have to cure for awhile before we can even try them.

Pity party!

I am back from my own personal pity party. It was so sad seeing Dad today that I just got in my car and drove, and cried, and prayed that God would take him...and drove and cried and prayed some more. Then I went and ate sushi so I am Ok now.

Last night Mom fell again while in the bathroom. She pressed the button around her neck, but had trouble communicating with them. They had an ambulance on the way before she made them understand that she didn't need an ambulance, but she needed my brother to come get her up. Stewart thought her arm was broken, so he called our friend, who is a physical therapist. He came to see about her, but he didn't think it was broken. They iced it and got her to bed. Today, she thinks her finger is broken. Some time later, my dad tried to get off the couch and he could not. Mom was finally able to get Stewart back over there to help get Dad to bed. Today Dad is just so much worse. He just cannot walk.

After lunch at my brother's, I went to Mom's and cleaned her kitchen while she took a nap. I just cannot stand to watch my daddy die!!!!

Fix this, Mr. Obama!

WooHoo!

Since our favorite catfish place that had closed permanently is now back open with the same owners, Dad actually went with us to eat there tonight. He has a girlfriend that is a waitress there. I think that's the only reason he went, but it was nice. I still had to hold his hand and guide him in the restaurant, but he actually ate pretty well. His speech has improved dramatically, so he is talking normal now.

This morning I spent a long time in my yard trying to get rid of some shrubs that I don't like. I don't know the name of them, but I see them everywhere at every house. They have maroon colored leaves, but they grow too fast. I have to trim them all the time and it is just a pain. I cut them down, then dug them up. Dang roots went to China! I'm thinking hydrangeas will fill in the void.

All incumbents.....OUT!

Easy day....FINALLY!

My friend who was going to bring the compost this morning couldn't bring it due to pouring down rain at her house on Caddo Lake. She called me at 8 A.M. and told me that, so I promptly turned over and went back to sleep. It was nice not to have to be somewhere. After hanging out at home, I went to lunch with my Thursday lunch group, then bought Mom's groceries, took them to her, cleaned her kitchen, and went to yoga class. I promptly dropped out of the yoga class because the guy who was "teaching" the class didn't have a clue. I guess he knew some yoga poses, but he surely didn't know how to make the class enjoyable. I got my check back and said, "Adios, this class is not for me". I was tense after I got home. That's not what yoga is supposed to do.

Much needed break!

I am starting to really hate the Willis Knighton Cancer Center and I don't know why. They have been nothing but very professional and nice, but it is so full of really sick people. It's depressing to me, but the sick people are always the ones smiling. Dad finished his regular radiation today and gets a break until Tuesday when they will do 3 days of tomotherapy. Of course, I have been all over that term in Google trying to learn all I can about it.

Tomorrow, a friend of mine from high school is bringing a truck load of compost and lots of seeds and is going to plant a fall garden in two 4 X 8 raised beds which she brought to Dad in the spring. She loves my dad and wants him to be able to watch a garden grow. She doesn't know how really weak he is and that he is unable to even watch it grow right now. He can't see it anyway. Oh, well, I will watch it grow and I will eat the carrots, potatoes and whatever else she plants.

Panic time!

I am so spoiled to online banking and bill paying that I go into panic mode when I think I might actually have to write checks to pay my bills. For the last two days, that function of my bank site has been out of order. I was already trying to figure a way to pay bills without having to actually write checks and put them in envelopes with a stamp. Yep, I'm a bit nerdy, I guess! OR LAZY!

Day 10 of radiation!

Brother is taking Dad for maybe his last treatment today. They will see the doctor and find out if he is going to do the 3 additional treatments that he told me last week they would do. When he sees how weak Dad is, he may not want to do any more. Yesterday, when I took him, he could not sit up in the car. He had to lie down in the back seat going over there and coming home.

My cousin from Virginia is here now. Her mother is Dad's only sibling left and she is 93. My cousin took her to see Dad yesterday. Last night I went out to dinner with my cousin at Superior's Steak House....without a doubt, the best steak in the area. It was good to get away and think about something else and have a couple of glasses of shirazz!!

Difficult day!

I took Dad for his treatment today and we also had an appointment with the oncologist, so Mom went with us. When I got to Mom's, he came from his room to go and he had wet the front of his clothes and down his leg and didn't even know it. He had to go change clothes before we could go. I put pillows on the back seat and he got back there and lay down all the way to Shreveport. He was unable to walk without my holding his hand and leading him everywhere. It's just so, so sad. The weakness is so very evident. I take him again tomorrow and my brother will take him for his last treatment on Wednesday. Then we will find out if the radiation doc is going to do the 3 additional treatments or not. On the plus side (which I must always find) he is talking much better....well, except when he has to take his "stereo" pill.....that would be the same as a steroid!!! AND.....we got someone to come clean Mom's house and she will be there every Monday. She was there today!!! WooHoo!

For the locals...

Yesterday, I went to the new Avocado California Roll Sushi restaurant in Bossier over in the Target shopping center. I had some smoked salmon sushi and lettuce wraps and both were excellent. Just looked it up and they have a website, but the Bossier location isn't listed yet. Most of them are in the Dallas area. I was there at lunch and they were not crowded, but had a reasonable business.

I'm tired!

Bulleted day!

• Mom's groceries bought
• Held daddy's hand for today
• My laundry all finished
• Yard work all finished
• Yard all watered
• House vacuumed
• Flowers deadheaded
• Answered all the "Dad inquiries" at the grocery store. Even the check out lady at Wal-Mart looked at me and said, "Your dad is sick, isn't he?" I don't know her!!!
  
• Sick of hearing  "brain cancer" on every media outlet. I always think of Dad, not Ted Kennedy, when they say he died of brain cancer.
• Time for a bubble bath
  

Called to action!

Today was supposed to be my day to stay home and take care of my business at home, but that didn't happen. My brother called at 12:45 and was taking Dad for his treatment in Shreveport. They were in Dad's truck, but it started running hot, so he pulled off the side of the interstate and called me to come get Dad and take him on to his 1:30 appointment for radiation. I got in gear and got Dad to his appointment right on time, but, of course, he still had to wait a few minutes before they came to get him. Because of the various states of undress and hospital gowns, I am not allowed to stay in the men's waiting room with him. I have to wait on the ladies' side. I have to watch for him when he gets through because he would have no clue where he was. We got that taken care of while my brother called a tow truck to haul the truck back home. We both got back to Dad's at the same time. Brother is going to take Dad the rest of this week. What will I do with myself? Oh..I know. Tomorrow I have a list of groceries that I have to get for Mom, and a dental appointment on Thursday....and stuff that I didn't get done today.