Stupid Too

2:47:24 PM EDT

The family is rallying, doing as well as could be expected. My Aunt was a dynamo, very family-oriented and 100% drama free. When we were young, she was one of the "cool" Aunts that all us kids loved to see. Very hip, very friendly, very outspoken. She was a family favorite who became one of our Sages in our own adult years. Her advice was useful, well-thought out. She was one you could rely on as a voice of reason.

So yesterday, I thought I'd make a Long Island trip to see Grandma. My Aunt was the wife of her son. Grandma lost her first son in 1990, my Grandpa soon after that. And now my Aunt. Grandma just knows this is not the natural progression of life, but seeing how she is 93 now, it sort of has to be a remote possibility in life.

Grandma was alone yesterday, quietly watching TV and relaxing. She always perks up upon the arrival of company, and yesterday was no different. We had our chat, and then she brought up the subject.

"Such terrible news to get, right? Another good one gone to heaven," she said.

She and I chatted more about it, she gave me the full details of all that had transpired, but then it was time to bring up the good times and memories.

I think it's the most incredible legacy one can leave when people run out of time before they run out of good things to say about you. And Mickey qualified for that, without a doubt.

I shared a nice dinner with Grandma, OUR way: take-out soup, sandwiches, salad and french fries from her favorite local place. We managed to order and pick up before they closed, so Gram was very pleased, and I was very full.

We're going to have to get a lot of things done the next week or so. My Aunt will be Memorialized in Las Vegas on July 10th. Have to get busy planning and making sure we get Grandma out there (she made it very clear that she wants to be there).

So it was a sad day touched by some happiness, companionship and good food.

 

Thank you all so very much for the kindness I've come to love here. The words always mean so much!

Love ya all

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4:33:30 PM EDT

My friends, I've come to ask another favor.

On the 24th, my Aunt was admitted to the hospital with abdominal pain and bleeding. There was a great difficulty among the doctors in figuring out what was wrong. She also developed pneumonia in that short spell.

Well, last night she passed away, without too many questions answered. Seems it was just her time, and my family is reeling from this sudden development. My Uncle is devastated.

There are plans in the works for a memorial service in a week or so, as they were out West at the time this happened, and a lot of things have to be taken care of among the family.

I just ask for your prayers that my Uncle, her children and Grandchildren find peace in this situation, particularly due to the suddenness with which this happened. She was always a favorite among the whole family, a very lively, kind, compassionate lady who really did figure out how to touch everyone's lives. She had a tough go, the last few years after developing diabetes, but her spirit never waned, and no one can recall hearing a complaint.

The following is an excerpt from a message I received from my Uncle the night she was admitted, and quickly deteriorated:

To all of our family and friends I ask that you join me in a prayer that the good and merciful God will end her pain and suffering as quickly as possible. As I sit writing this with tears streaming down my face I think of 2 golden oldies,

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9:25:24 PM EDT

 

 

On the Verizon... the stupidsheet

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10:55:59 AM EDT

Well, that new trick would be juggling. Big time. I've always had a special place in my heart for Single Moms because I've gained an immense respect for the work that their lives entail.

My oldest daughter is on the island of Jamaica right now with her Mom. The two of them signed up to travel with the Church as missionaries to a religious compound down there. They're being boarded at a convent with a group of about twenty other parishioners. It was something they wanted to do very strongly, and I think it will be a great experience for my girl, who could probably use a look at another side of life right now.

That leaves me with my son and youngest daughter, ages 13 and 9, respectively. I'm in the early stages of developing my own business, so time is at a premium. My son is pretty good at being the "Father Hen", but at 13, I'm not about to leave him alone and in charge for too long a time, so I'm working from home as best I can. He has an all-day retreat tomorrow with his school (they're preparing for Confirmation and somehow this retreat worked its way into the mix...).

I have been doing a lot of scheduling and booking babysitters; Friday evening and Saturday morning I have to attend a training seminar, and it's about 55 miles away. I have my 19-year old niece coming both times. But then I have to get back here Saturday afternoon and grab the two kids to head to Long Island, NY for my niece's High School Graduation party.

Yeah, poor me. I know. There are people out there who have this as a way of life, so I'm not going to complain. And now that I look at this, it doesn't make for very exciting reading, does it?

I may have to go out and set myself on fire or something, you know, liven things up around here a little.

Have a great day.

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7:43:04 PM EDT

 

 

Leave the door open and anyone can walk in... www.stupidsheet.com

 

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5:01:21 PM EDT

 

 

The end of the story.

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12:50:07 PM EDT

Today the world is looking a little bit different for my family and me. We have to take what has happened, and channel it all the most positive way we know how.

Pop got some bad news yesterday. Basically, the cancer is out of control now. It didn't really come as a surprise, but bad news always hits you hard no matter how well you were prepared or how much the news was expected. His daughters took the news especially hard because they are fairly optimistic about life in general, and sometimes it's hard to reckon with the inevitable.

The next move is to get him up to see his oncologist tomorrow morning. There obviously will be no more call for his services, as we are looking at this situation in terms of the best palliative care possible. A cure is no longer an option, nor is remission. The goal here now is to make him as comfortable as possible for whatever time he might have left.

I'm thankful, though, that there will be an opportunity to assist in this comfort. I'm sure anyone who has been involved in the home care of a terminally ill patient would be able to tell you that it can be draining, both emotionally and physically, and there certainly have been times when I have not been at my best, nor at my most charitable 100% of the time. I've had moments of impatience with him, in that he often was his own worst enemy when it came to his care. He would get the advice from some of the best in the business, and completely disregard it. He would then impose on those people to make it all better for him, despite his actions. And even with the professional training they've had, they sometimes found it difficult to remain patient and understanding with him.

In other words, there is a chance to let this story come to its inevitable conclusion, but with a happier ending. And for that I am grateful. I've had my eyes reopened, I've had my attitude adjusted, and we are going to forge ahead and give Pop the best that is available to him for the duration of his life. I love my children more every day for their resilience. It's often forgotten how disrupted their lives have been through the past 9 or 10 months. They've stepped up and done the job. It's even more remarkable to think how well they did when you consider their young ages. Again, something to be grateful for.

We no longer have the prospect of some miracle cure. The miracle in this case will be in how little the man suffers until his days on earth come to an end. I believe that we must be the miracle workers who provide that peace and comfort because it's all we can do.

Thank you all very much for the kindness and support that has come our way throughout this ordeal. Maybe, if you have a minute, you could ask for some assistance and strength to come our way because we're realistic and know that there are some tough decisions to be made in the near term.

I'll keep you all posted.

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12:53:41 AM EDT I got some tough news about a friend tonight. Please read about it here

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5:34:56 PM EDT

Jaime Chase is offering a gift certificate to MY online t-shirt company as a prize. She's holding a contest on her site and the winner gets the certificate.

Jaime's blog:

http://chasenkids.org/?p=100

My t-shirt (yes, I make t-shirts and yep, I sell them online) site is:

www.lippytees.com

 

Go play on Jaime's blog. It's way better than playing in traffic.

 

 

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11:46:42 PM EDT

NJ Little Bear gave me a kick in the butt. I think it's a good kick, too. Wake-up call, I believe they call it.

I think he wants to see what a lot of us would like to see. A little revival around these parts. I don't know about you, but for me, there's been far too much time gone by. So what better way to get going than with something a little bit fun.

To use his words:

Put your IPod or MP3 on shuffle and list the first 8 songs that play.... tag 8 other people to do the same. If you don't have an IPod or MP3 then make shit up. You might think about moving into the 21st century by getting an IPod or MP3 player of some sort.

Here's my list:

1. "Ocean" by Led Zeppelin
2. "Achilles' Last Stand" by Led Zeppelin
3. "New York Minute" by The Eagles
4. "The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia" by Vicki Lawrence
5. "New Shoes" by Paolo Nutini
6. "I Want To Hold Your Hand" by The Beatles
7. "How To Save A Life" by The Fray
8. "Fix You" by Coldplay

OK I don't know if these folks all have iPods or MP3 players, but I'm tagging:

Nancy

Cassie

Emily

Brandi

Myra

Anne

Jackie

Go for it!!!!!!!!!!!!!

then tag 8 people.

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