Remembering The Steps Through The Valley With Great Gratitude



Ken and Duke, 2004

  




2004, we had taken a road trip to Austin Texas

  

Ken and Carson, Christmas 2006



Today, I'm going to talk about my hunnie, Ken.  Last Tuesday, August 23rd, Ken finally got his right knee replacement.  This in itself is a bit of a miracle.  It was ten years ago that Ken came home from work  in the middle of the day with his knee hurting.  By evening, the pain and swelling was bad enough that I took him to the emergency room in the old St Francis Broken Arrow Hospital.  They drained his knee of fluids and after running some test sent him home.

The pain and swelling continued to worsen to the point that I took him back.  He saw a Dr. Peterson, who decided to do a laparoscopic cleansing of the knee and at this time diagnosed it as MRSA.  Sent him home again with pain pills overlooking other important needs.



He continued to grow more and more sick.  The knee locked up and would not move so,  I took him back again where Dr Peterson did a second laparoscopic surgery.  Said this time he 'cleaned it out really good' and this time followed up with a specialist who supervised the pic and strong medication he was now on to 'beat' the deadly staph MRSA as well as physical therapy.  After about six weeks, Ken was getting better.  Ken tells me that he actually thought he was dying at one point.  And I've learned that many people do die from this resistant infection.




Continuous Movement Machine Aug 28

 

All of this left Ken with a limp and knee pain.  However, because of MRSA, no doctor would touch him -- telling him he needed to be MRSA-free for 3-5 years.  After five years, he was ready for his knee surgery but he failed his heart stress test.  Now another major problem:   diagnosed with heart disease with blockages everywhere and no place to repair -- no bypass possible because no where to connect.  We were told there were just too many blockages.  He was sent home saying "there is nothing we can do."

So the good news was GOD IS OUR HOPE AND OUR REFUGE.  

 Another four years passed and last year, Ken suffered kidney failure and a light stroke.  He was a VERY sick man.   Once again the healing power of God prevailed and he recovered.  During that three months of healing, he met several people who gave him the name of a wonderful knee specialist...Dr Mittal.  And in the previous year, we had attended a seminal with Dr Rajesh Chandwaney, a heart specialist who Ken felt he trusted.  After a year with Dr Chandwaney, doctor found a blockage that could be repaired.  Ken went through the 'blockage removal and stint insertion procedure last April  with an approval for knee surgery in three months.  Then he had his Gall bladder removed and now for Ken's third surgery this year, he now has a brand new titanium right knee.  He is doing very well, coping with the pain and discomfort and most willingly doing his physical therapy. 

When We Don't Understand, We Still Stand.



We stayed in great resorts.


This posting will not document the trip we took,  You can find that on my travel blog.      http://scrivtravels.blogspot.com/search/label/Westward%20Bound%20Trip%20July-August%202011
 I just wanted to say, we are back home and it is nice to be home again.  We left July 28, headed to Santa Fe, New Mexico, then Flagstaff and then Sedona, Arizona.  After a week in Sedona with the girls we dropped them off with their parents in Flagstaff and headed for Las Vegas for four day.  Had enough of Vegas after two days and headed home early.  On the way home, we spent a night and morning in Albuquerque New Mexico and then Ken drove the remainder of the way home two days before expected.  Still we had been gone two weeks. 



The Ole' Mercedes ran just great!



We ate at the finest of restaurants.



We crossed several State Lines.

  We had a great time mingled with a few challenges.  Such as:  "where did we hide our cash" (took a couple days to remember where) or "why is Ken's I-phone locked up," or "the air conditioner on the car has gone out and no one can look at it on a Friday afternoon--what to do?"   Then, there was the lack on Internet connections and in Sedona, the lack of both Internet and cell phone.  The time share in Sedona downsized us to a small studio when we had traded with our spacious one bedroom, full kitchen and laundry facilities in Hawaii.  We had a microwave but no oven and no washer/dryer in the studio with Blakely and Sydney joining us.    But the goal is victory and we still had a great time.   More than once, laughingly, I asked Ken:  "are we getting to the age we need to travel with a chaperon?"   We added maybe from now on, it will be cruises where they take care of us.   Seriously, challenges are part of life and we did have a great time.  Home Sweet Home!

Death Is A Sure Thing

Putting flowers on Scott's resting place

 I'm not thinking about death today because I think my time is just around the corner or that I am wanting to die any time soon.   I'm just thinking about death today because other's are dying and I am having to face that fact. 



The stone for Jim & Paula Hardy

  The Holy Book promises us days until we are satisfied with life....I'm not there yet....I'm not satisfied with my life or my number of days yet.      But because I am 72 years old, it is something I must consider and ponder.
On Father's Day at COTM, they sung a song that I loved and immediately turned to Ken and said that is the song I want at my 'she is gone' service.  I would love it if they sung it exactly like they sung it that Sunday, with fiddles, up-beat and emphatically.  I could picture several fiddles and people getting up and dancing around.   No, I am not morose, it just seems victorious and appropriate.



My older sister:  Virginia Merle Montgomery

  The course says:  "It don't matter where you bury me, I'll be home and I'll be free.  It don't matter where I lay, All my tears be washed away."
Now the interesting thing is that last year when Ken and I set up a living trust and a will, I was the one who came up with the decision (and Ken followed my choice) of when we die, donating our bodies to medical science.   That shocked the lawyer working with us and it seems to shock our children.   But I came up with that decision because I despise the financial advantage that those in the death business take on grieving loved ones.   Why spend thousands of dollars preserving a body or cremating the shell or digging water proof vaults, etc.  Eight thousand is considered a modest cost these days to handle a dead body. Grieving people too often spend much more.   http://www.anatomicgift.com/
That just is not right.  One could cruise the world with that much money...or seed a church in a heathen country or leave that money for your children and grandchildren.. 
It seems the group Jars Of Clay may have first sung this as that is what I could find on the Internet.  But I liked COTM version much better.

When I go, don't cry for me

In my Father's arms I'll be

The wounds this world left on my soul

Will all be healed and I'll be whole.

Sun and moon will be replaced

With the light of Jesus' face

And I will not be ashamed

For my Savior knows my name.

It don't matter where you bury me,

I'll be home and I'll be free.

It don't matter where I lay,

All my tears be washed away.

Gold and silver blind the eye

Temporary riches life

Come and eat from heaven's store

Come and drink, and thirst no more.

So weep not for me my friends,

When my time below does end

For my life belongs to Him

Who will raise the dead again.

http://youtu.be/nHzcHW-xNC8

http://nana-splace.blogspot.com/search/label/O%27Neal

Standing by Millie's resting place

“You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she has lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all she's left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her,
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.

You can remember her only that she is gone,  or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.

You can cry and close your mind,  be empty and turn your back. Or you can do what she'd want:

smile, open your eyes, love and go on.”

In honor of  Charlie Duty



Maybe I am thinking about death today because Jennifer's (Joel's wife) Dad passed away last week.  And Friday we will drive to Dallas for the memorial service.   Everyone deals with death and loss in different ways.  It always hurts and there is always a deep loss.  It helps a lot when we know that loved one is with Jesus.  And Jennifer had that assurance before he passed. 



And I just wanted to document that when I leave this world, it is OK to donate my body to the advancement of medical science.  It can just be a part of my legacy--a gift I can give to help another sick or diseased person who comes along -- it is a way for new doctors to learn and do a better job in the future.  I won't be there,  I'LL BE HOME AND I'LL BE FREE.

This Is One Happy Man

Yep, the Papa is a happy man.  He has been looking at guns for a very long time and finally went and got one.  Here he is taking it apart and figuring out how to clean and load it.

Then the neighbor friends took him to the shooting range and he tried it out and thinks he did pretty good.

Then he took his eight-hour safety class and had his mug shot taken.  Went to the court house and applied for a concealed carriers liscense.   And now our happy man waits.

At What Point Does The Mother Daughter Relation Flip Flop?

It may have happened today, but it simply can not continue!    My younger daughter, Sommer turned 35 this week and I don't become 73 till October.   She is half my age  and today she laughs and says I HAVE TO FOLLOW THE RECIPE.  Come on, I never totally follow recipes when I don't have the ingredients.

It goes like this:   Back in  June we went to visit the Collier family and we spent a week at Sunset Beach, North Carolina where Dan was working.  One evening we went to eat at the Sugar Shack, a Jamaican eatery.


The Sugar Shack at Sunset Beach North Carolina

 Well after we had ordered, the waitress brought out this most divine appetizer and she called it Jamaican Johnny Cake.  It was not the traditional island fried cakes, it was like a glorified cornmeal cake with wonderful spices in it.  It was warm, dense and moist. 

Sommer being the cook extraordinaire and taste bud professional, was determined she would figure out how to make it.    So a few days ago,she posted on A Spicy Perspective her rendition of what we had eaten in Sunset Beach. 

At work on A Spicy Perspective

http://aspicyperspective.com/2011/07/jamaican-johnny-cakes.html#more-5362

Waiting for a Table to Eat Jamaican Cooking

This morning on a whim, I decided to whip up the delectable tasty treat for myself.  Upon pulling out the list of ingredients, I discovered I was out of cake flour, out of unsalted butter, white sugar and there was no buttermilk.  And honestly, I've never ever bought vanilla bean paste before.    That did not bother me, I often switch out ingredients.   So I used regular flour, Crisco, brown sugar and Keefer with "Premier Vainilla" Hecho En Mexico.  Sounded fine to me.


The batter looked light and fluffy.   I thought my ground coves might have been very old.  (I don't use cloves very often as I have an aversion to the smell of cloves due to dental abuse when I was a small child.)
I poured the batter into two baking pans and baked at 350 degrees as instructed.  As soon as my Johnny Cake was cooled enough to cut, I eagerly sliced a piece and sat back to enjoy.     The Johnny Cake had the nice dense, moist consistency, it was OK......well, it was good, but not amazing like that at The Sugar Shack.   So I send Sommer a message on Facebook telling her about my experience.
SHE LAUGHS AT ME!  (I need to come back and add, Sommer's laugh was very respectful.)  And sh promptly reminds me that I need to use cake flour, real butter, sugar and full fat buttermilk.      OK, I accept it,  she is the baking queen of the Carolinas and her Jamaican Johnny Cake was amazing beyond words.    And my little 'lower-fat rendition'  was ordinary but OK.    I'm going to freeze most of it for special occasions and forget how amazing it is suppose to be.      No, I'm still the Mama and she is still the daughter -- she just has passed me by in the kitchen and I have no problem with that.  I'll eat my soups and my easily made salads and let her soar to the stars through A Spicy Perspective.  And when I am old and feeble, she can cook anything she wants for me exactly the way she wants to.    Wait a minute, what am I saying .... she can do that already.

And is it fair to eat real butter and full fat buttermilk and look like this?

Oh, perhaps it is because Sommer is diligent working out!

All My Sisters Visit

I love family.   I love MY Family!   And I love my sisters!
This was a most rare occassion, when all three of my sisters visited at the same time--and in HOT Oklahoma!  The occassion that brought them was my brother, Bud and his wife, Barbie's 50th Wedding Anniversary party.   Only Bill was unable to attend.  It would have been perfect with our eldest brother, evenso, it was a 'mini' reunion. 

Sarah and Paula both arrived on Thursday evening.   So on Friday, they made appointments at the beauty shop where my neighbor, Jeannie K works.  Sarah had not had a hair cut since she last visited 18 months before.

It looked so pretty, that Paula asked me to take a photo of the back of her hair. 

Sarah looked very beautiful when Jeannie was done.

Paula had already had her hair cut and she just wanted it washed and set.  Oh my, did everyone make over Paula's "PERFECT HAIR."    All natural, all healthy and beautiful and at the age of 79, they would say.

Then Paula asked about a waxing job.  What an experience.  I have never had this done to myself. 

So here are my beautiful sisters.  Below is Sarah, who is 85 years old and very little gray hair.  She is a sweetheart.

And here we are having fun at the beauty shop.

This is Sarah at the party.

And Paula at the Party.

And Barbie, who everyone thinks is my sister instead of sister-in-law.

And here is Bonnie with her granddaughter, Allison.  In this photo, they are getting ready to leave town.

And here is Bonnie with Jim at the Party.

Thank God for creating family and thank God for MY family!  My sisters are WONDERFUL!

Bud and Barbie had a Big Party Given By Their Children

Invitations were sent out to all the syblings.  All four of Bud's sisters attended ad there were a total of around 60 guest for the big event.  It was a wonderful time.  I will share photos.

Allison and Carson Hale, Bonnie and Jim's grandchildren were among the specia guests.

Bonnie and Jim drove all the way from South Carolina. 

Jean, (me) Bonnie, Paula and Sarah attended the part. 

Barbara's brother, Jim and his wife were there. 

Of course, Megan and Allie were an important part. 

Bud and Barbie Party After 50 Years, continued

Mother's Day

I worked all day Saturday and will be working all day Sunday.   So after church we went out with our Oklahoma children to the Rib Crib.  

I always get the Dynamite Smoked Chicken Salad. 

The crazy cousins.

Why would you get Slider Cheese Burgers when you could have pulled pork? 

Flowers, Organic Totes, A Date in a Bag, Jellies and Chocolates.  Lots of cards also.

Thanks to my 5 beautiful chldren for making me a Mother.  You taught me much -- to care -- to give -- selflessness -- joy --contintment in whatever state I found myself in -- patience -- enduance -- peace -- self-control (well maybe) -- and so much more. And now the greatest joy is watching you be mothers and fathers to your precious litte ones.   Love you dearly.