jclegg
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Hello Everybody,
It is Easter Monday here. now, Janet, and I am going shopping with my Daughter and grandchughters – to a small towm a little west of me, where they have small “specialty” shops – not serious shopping – just moseying around, eating some lunch on the veranda, looking out at the Susquehanna River. It is a brisk 39 degrees! I, for one, am glad we are going into Spring in this hemisphere – we need it!
I hope everyone had the best Easter we could muster, ubder the circumstances. My Easter ham came out darn good, so that was a good thing, and, even though scalloped potatoes isn’t very “eastery”, they tasted good! I missed Butch, but I miss him every day, so, it wasn’t any different.
Well – the kids are here – gotta go.
Cyber Hugs – Joyce
Janet,
You are right – it is so difficult, and for you, coping with the other problems additionally, we think you are doing very well, for the circumstances We are all quite empty inside, really. I can’t imagine having children to deal with in addition to my own grief. I have a hard enough time with the “Grands”. People mean well, they just have no idea, really. You just keep putting one foot in front of the other, and moving forward.Love – Joyce
Patsy,
I think you are right – next year those lilies will bring you comfort again. Your grief is toofresh for this year. Last year, we had an easter lily for Easter, and I planted it outside in my herb garden after Easter. It bloomed for the 2nd time 2 weeks before my husband passed away, and lasted until two weeks after. I though it was God’s way of reminding me of his promise of renewal. That lily is going to bloom this Spring – it is pushing up through the ground now, and I want to think of them as the symbol of eternal life. Our loved ones are not gone – they are just “in the next room”.Joyce C.
Dear All,
I just caught up on my reading – it is extrordinary how many things have been happening, isn’t it? My Granddaughter was quite traumatized by the events of last Friday, but has selltled down some, since. It took my Daughter a bit longer – she was so frightened for Alex, you know. It has been sad – so many funerals, and articles in the papers about the people who lost their lives – people from all over the world, in class at the Civic center so they could become citizens and lead a better life. Our senator is talking today about a bill to make them citizens posthumanously (or however it is spelled!) – it would allow their families access to certain things that would be denied them otherwise. I hope they follow through.Sue is about to embark on her cooking holiday – I am so jealous – hae a wonderful time.
Pauline – thank you for remembering. Enjoy your time in Italy with your family, even though we know that inside we are all still hurting. Last year at this time we were at the Mayo Clinic, and we found out they couldn’t do the resection for Butch, because the cancer had metatasized (did I spell that right?). It was downhill from that point on. In some ways, it seems like a lifetime ago, in other ways, I can’t believe a year has gone by.
Patty – I am so glad that your Italian family seems to be Ok.
Janet – make sure you are ready to go back before you do – once you are back – you are back! I went back too soon, I know, but I had to get by it – in a way , it was good for me – took my mind off of my sorrow, but – it was so hard. I still am not quite right . Anyway, think it over.
Darla – will it EVER get to Spring?? It snowed here today – not a lot – just flurries, but – YUCK! And, on top of all this, I missed Antiques Roadshow on Monday night!
Love – Joyce
Oh my, how could we NOT be angry from time to time? To stand helplessly bye and watch this horrible beast rob us (and our loved ones) of everything, right before our eyes, yes – every month as the anniversary comes around, we will rage for awhile. Thinking of you – hope you have a better day today.
Joyce C. (the other Joyce!)
Hello,
My husband had Ulcerative Colitus from the age of 12, and it lead to
Primary sceloring cholangitis, which he was dignosed with in 1999. As I understand it, that left him with a much increased risk factor for CC, which he was diagnosed with in march of 2008. It sounds like you have excellant medical consultants, and are in a good treatments plan/ I wish you the best.Joyce C.
Hello Everybody
Janet – I, too have had my challenges with cars – I did sell Butch’s old Corolla a few months ago – it was a 1996 and had 160,000 miles on it. It was a big decision to but the hubrid, but my car wasstart to leak oil, etc. so I made the decision. I am glad, as now it is all under warrantee, and I don’t have to be concerned about money for repairs, etc. It does seem like these challenges come up all the time, doesn’t it? I have someone coming today to see about a plugged drain in the laundry room. I also have a man coming to do the carpets today, in advance of Easter. I think it might be today that the bug man is coming to spray also. I am Busy with Spring tasks, and it helps to keep me busy.Actually, I started my weekend a bit early, also – took the day off yesterday! I finished my taxes and sent them electronically – I am so glad that is done. The day before was beautiful – 72 degrees again, however yesterday was rainy with some thunderstorms. Today isn’t looking so good, either.
Perhaps you heard the news yesterday – about the shooting in the Civic center in Binghamton (it was all over the news)? Well – Binghamton, where it happened – is the sister city to Endicott – actually , they call us the triple cities, because of Johnson City. My daugher lives there, and my Granddaughter Alexandria goes to the school they were talking about they locked down. While my Daughter was talking to her on the phone, the soldiers entered the cafeteria, and my poor Granddaughter was scatred silly (she is 14 and a freshman). We had a very scary few hours, I can tell you, until they got her safely home. This is a very small, safe community, and it is unimaginable that this has happened here. I think we are all in shock, and those poor people – who just came here to try to have a better life for themselves. What is happening to our world?
Pauline – are you in Italy on business or pleasure? In any case, enjoy Italy.
Everyone – take care, and – don’t let life get you any more down. I always try to think that we have gone through the worst – these things are just bumps in the road compared to that.
Love and cyber hugs,
joyce
Stacie,
I will pray for the treatable kind. My cousin, who is very dear to me, went thru this – it was the treatable kind, and she is past 4 years in remission now. Incidentally, at the same time she suffered thru this, her husband was treated for stage 3 colon cancer – they are both fine now. We will pray for the same wondrous results.Joyce C.
Pam,
I am so sorry. I know how difficult this is for all of you. Reading your thoughts it sounds exactly – down to the last detail almost – what I went through with Butch at the end. The only comfort is that there doesn’t appear to be any pain – our Doctor was here the day before Butch passed away – he paid house calls – and he asked Butch if he was in pain. Butch had been pretty well comatose for a day or two, but he answered the Doctor and said – quite clearly – “only a little”. So, I hope that is a comfort to you – we had it in his own words. This is probably the hardest thing we will ever have to do. I will be thinking of you, and praying.Love – Joyce
Dear Sarah,
I m so very sorry for your loss. It was on October 9 that I lost my wonderful husband Butch to this dreadful disease, after a 7 month battle. He was only 66, which is very young also, though not as young as your Mom. I know what you mean – as time goes by, it seems farther and farther away, but the wound is still fresh. It is difficult whwen people say things like that they understand, and they clearly don’t. I just always try tio think that they are TRYING to be kind. There are many, many people on this site who have lost their parents, and they do communicate with each other, explaining their feelings and comforting each other. You and your family have certainly been through a lot, and Mom’s have such a special place in our hearts, and you are so young to go through this. I will include your family in my prayers, and be thinking of you.Big cyber hugs,
Joyce C.
Hello There,
I just want to add my “two cents”. By the time We got Hospice , I was so happy to have their assist. I told my husband that I just needed some help, and we could let them go when he got stronger! It was by far the better decision, and they were wonderful to him. They will help you in any way they can. As for working, I was lucky enough to have taken a long LOA (turned into 7 months) to stay home with him until the end. It is such a worry – balancing work with the care and love for our loved ones. It was such a blessing for me that when I returned to work, I was down to one week of paid time left ( 31 years there gave me a lot of time!) , so I was wondering what I was going to do when I ran out of paid time. It is just another thing to worry about when you have so many already, isn’t it?
Anyway, my thoughts and prayers are with you, your sister, and your family. This has been such a long battle for your sister. Your CC family wiill be here for all of you if you need us.Joyce C.
Dearest kris,
I am so sorry about the misbehaving liver, and all the rest of the yucky stuff. Glad, though that your Sister is coming to visit you – that will be a help, won’t it? I am going to keep thinking that all this stuff is going to go away, you are going to go back to the chemo, and everything is going to come out all right. Isn’t there an anti-depressant that doesn’t get processed through the liver, or am I being silly?Lots of cyber hugs to you,.
Joyce C.
Butch never bought me an engagement ring – I didn’t want one. Well, about 4 years ago, he gave me a beautiful citrine ring for Christmas, and I wore it a lot. It turned up missing, and I could not find it – looked everywhere. Last year, between the Mayo Clinic and the University of Pittsburgh, I was weeding in the front flower garden, and it turned up – in the dirt there! I must have pulled my gardening gloves off, and it came off, at some point? Well, I was thrilled , and NOW – I have that ring – the only ring Butch ever bought me. I wear it every day. So – maybe you WILL find that earring some day!
Love – Joyce
Marc,
I am so very sorry to hear about your Mum’s passing, but glad that you know now she is not in any more pain. You will have your memories forever, and the knowledge that you did all that you could do to ease this for her. That will mean a lot as time goes by.Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
Joyce C.
