Grandma's House

It's funny how memories pop up.  

My dad's parents lived in Marquette, Michigan when I was very young.  For some reason, some memories of that place came to mind.  I'm just going to jot some of them down.  

The front door had a storm door that opened the opposite way from the main door.  That is, the storm door swung to the left but the house door to the right.  The storm door also had a device that would either hold it open or allowed it to slowly close.  I once got the pinky finger on my right hand caught in the door when it closed.  Looking back at that moment, I'm surprised it didn't break my finger.  

Since we lived in central Illinois, we didn't see my grandparents but once or twice each year.  Normally, we drove there in July.  There was one time we went and my grandparents had some sparklers.  My siblings and I ran around in the back yard one night, swinging our arms around to watch the light and colors of the sparklers.  I then tripped on the anchor used to hold the leash for the dog, Lady, so she couldn't leave the yard.  When I fell, my face fell onto the sparkler and burned my face on the right side near my lips.  

On a happier note, I remember once sleeping with my grandparents.  When I awoke in the morning, I remember grandma picking me up and setting me onto the floor.  As she turned, rolling on the bed, I reached out and grabbed her hair.  I still don't know why I did that.  

Just off the kitchen and, I think, in front of the back door, there was a chalk board.  Once, my sister and I drew pictures on it.  They were silly pictures.  She drew stick figures of me with either a huge body and tiny head or vice versa.  

I find it interesting that when I focus on memories and places like I am now, I remember more and more things.  I like these strolls down memory lane.  

A Man After God’s Own Heart

I met Alejandro while on a mission trip to the Talamanca region of Costa Rica about 8 years ago.  He was a young man who left the comforts of home, like the rest of us, to give gifts to underprivileged children in the jungle.  It was a long, exhausting trip that brought us to various groups of people.  It was equal parts joy and heartache to see the need but also the smiles of those receiving their gifts.  It was fun going down a river that bordered Panama in a dugout canoe type of boat. 

Alejandro and I sat in the back of the bus during our return to San Jose.  I was impressed by this young man.  He was still in high school but he WANTED to serve.  We have stayed in touch over the years.  He is now married and has a one year old daughter.  We joke she will marry my grandson. 

Today, Alejandro and his family are missionaries in Romania.  Today he and to other men he works with went to the Ukrainian border with some basic supplies and to see how they can help.  He told me what he saw broke his heart.  There is so much need.  I hope to share more soon about what they need and how we can help. 

#ukraine

Sick, Time Travel, Grandson

While I feel better than a few days ago, I feel I could sleep all day and all night.  Also, I just want to be warm.  Actually, I want to sweat.  Just to be hot and sweaty.  While I think I still can muster the strength for that, THAT isn’t what I mean.

I’ve noticed I crave salty foods.  Maybe it is some sort of electrolyte thing.  Hard to say.  I did get some Gatorade and Pedialyte.  I think I want some more. 

Sometimes when I am in bed I have moments like I’m lucid dreaming.  Actually, I had an episode a couple weeks ago where I dreamed about time travel.  (That has happened before and I even wrote a story based on what I saw in the dream.)  In this case, I my dream dealt with the fact that whenever we consider time travel, mind, body, and spirit must travel together.  What if we could leave the body behind?  That eliminates many obstacles to time travel. 

My grandson also has covid.  Poor little guy.  He just wants to be held.  I put him down yesterday and he slept in his bed for a while but awoke crying.  I went and picked him up and laid him on my chest for a while.  I could tell he was getting feverish.  Everyone once in a while, he would say something or make a noise.  I couldn’t see his eyes but I think they were open the whole time.  He is such a sweet little boy. 

He still makes more noises than actual words but his vocabulary is expanding and his understanding of the world grows each day.  For a couple months now, I would say his name (Silas) and mine (grandpa).  When doing this I would place my hand on his chest when saying his name and on my chest when saying mine.  Occasionally, I would point to our noses or some other part.  Also, I would use his hand to do the pointing.  Recently, when saying his name, he puts his hand on his chest.  I pray we recover soon.

Covid: Well, this is new

 If this post makes little to no sense, I sincerely apologize.  My head is quite foggy and my body feel charged.  It almost feels tingly.  I'm not sure why though.

Two days ago I finally joined the club.  That is, I tested positive for Covid.  Hurray for me!  I had been joking for a while now that my wife and I must be immune.  Alas, we have it.  Compared to some, I guess my symptoms are mild.  I've felt worse and worked but have stayed home. I feel bad my grandson must have gotten sick from us since we watch him during the week.  

Whenever I get sick it seems post-nasal drip is the first thing I experience.  The same was true with this.  After a couple days of that, I got tight neck muscles.  Along with that was very tense scalp muscles.  The top of my head literally hurt to touch.  Mind you, I didn't cry out in pain when I did touch my head but the sensation was painful.  

There was one day that I just wanted to sleep.  I did nap during the day and slept through the night.  I think the extra time in bed simply added to the muscle tension.  I took the baby for a couple laps around the neighborhood and they seemed to loosen my muscles.  I felt better but I could still feel something wasn't right.  

We spent time outdoors since the weather was mild and day was sunny.  We even took the baby outside to sit in the grass for the first time.  He enjoyed it immensely.  

With the extra time to ourselves, we have cooked and eaten soups, drank copious cups of tea, taken hot showers and epsom salt baths, and various other things to alleviate our symptoms.  As I sit here typing, I feel a mild pressure in the sinus directly behind my nose even though my head has been clear.  By that I mean my sinuses are clear.  As I said before, my brain isn't clear.  

Sometimes I can't think of words.  Sometimes I start to do something only to think I should do something else.  I had gone 2 days without coffee.  I sometimes take off a day just to do it.  Two off days wasn't major.  Most disappointingly, coffee hasn't tasted good.  Everything else is fine.  

So this is the novel coronavirus.  This is new

for me

Shorties: 77

Miles and Bob went to their respective homes for the night and Jenny settled into her old bedroom.  Thoroughly spent, Nick walked into his room.  His eyes rested on the bed where Gwen died 18 hours before.  Even when you know death is imminent, there is no amount of preparation that helps you cope with the loss of a loved one.  Losing a loving spouse after 30 years of marriage felt like the mountains crashing down.

 

Bitter pain and numbness fill Nick and his breathing became mournful gasps.  He no longer felt the need to mask his pain as he did when the kids were present.  Nevertheless, the torrent of sobs that screamed for release were held in check by a hidden force.  Instead, tears welled up and his body shook for only a moment.  There was nothing more.  Like dry heaves, the episode repeated itself four more times.  Then it stopped altogether.

 

Nick considered showering but decided against it.  Like one with nothing to live for, life lost all reason.  What was the point of bathing?  His wife was gone.  Instead, he went to the toilet to relieve himself.  Rather than stand to urinate, Nick pulled down his pants and plopped onto the toilet seat.  Even when the stream of urine stopped, Nick continued sitting. The longer he was alone the more life seemed to leave him. He just didn’t care any more.  Suddenly, he heard Gwen walking into the bathroom with the labored breaths she had in her last days.  

 

Nick turned to see her but saw nothing.  He continued looking at the door in anticipation but she wasn’t there.  While he saw nothing, he still heard Gwen breathing and her footfalls.  Nick zipped up his pants and walked to the door, peering into the bedroom.  Nothing. Suddenly, Nick felt wholly, completely alone.  It was like a bitter wind sweeping through him.  Nick was struck with the thought his life would never be the same.  Everything he knew about life could only be seen with the knowledge he was a widow.  All of life was different now that Gwen was dead.  A part of him died too. 

July 24 Thought of the Day

 

When you grieve it is equal parts emotional and physical

Bailey’s Last Day

 

Bailey’s last day

She awoke and grandpa had to carry her downstairs. She didn’t eat breakfast for a few hours but ate all of her favorite food. When Silas (grandma and grandpa’s grandson) came, she wasn’t too interested but she seemed to perk up a little after that. She went in the back yard and did her business. 

Grandpa threw, from about 1 foot away, the paper towel cardboard a couple times. She didn’t catch it but enjoyed it. Then she chewed on it a little and grandma threw it but she caught from her. Later, she licked Silas’s feet. Grandma cleaned off his feet. Grandpa put on the leash and she went out the front door and sniffed a while. Then they went back inside. 

About this time a UPS truck came and she barked at it. Later, grandpa gave Bailey some Quaker Oat Squares as treats and she gobbled them up. Aunt Brittany visited a bit and petted her. One of the last things she did before she went to doggy heaven was go for a ride. Grandpa put the leash on, helped her get up, and she walked out to the car. Grandpa put her in and she laid down. Eventually, she stood up so she could see the cars coming and grandpa urged her to growl at a truck the was coming. When she did it caused her pain and she yelped. She patiently waited in the car with her grandparents to see the vet. 

She got to bark at the dog getting into the car next to us. It had some of the Bailey ferocity we know lol

She waited more than 50 minutes just to see the vet. Grandma and grandpa weren’t happy about that at all. When they finally said it was time to get in, grandpa lifted her out of the car and Bailey walked in on her own with energy. She sniffed along the way and even squatted to leave a big pee. Once in the room she walked around, sniffed and panted. She started to shake a little. She put her chin in grandpa’s lap and then grandma’s lap. 

When a lady finally came Bailey shook more. The lady asked a few questions and said she would take Bailey back to give her a catheter for the injections. Then she would bring her back to be with grandma and grandpa. Bailey had a lot of energy but she was very afraid. 

When the vet arrived with the needles, he got close to pet her but she snapped at him. He left and got an assistant. He also took off his lab coat. Grandma and grandpa thought that, and he long wait, might have been why she did that. Grandpa put on a muzzle and the vet gave her a sedative. It worked immediately. She started going down and grandma and grandpa tried to ease her down but her head plopped down. It was mere seconds after the lethal injection and she was gone. 😢

Since humor is one of grandpa’s coping mechanisms, he said with tears, “I guess it’s too late to change our minds.”

Bailey’s eyes remained open and her tongue out a little. The dr listened for her heart for a bit and then stopped. He said nothing other than they would leave them alone and grandpa and grandma could take as long as needed. 

Grandma and grandpa hugged, kissed, and petted Bailey. They also cried. It seemed wrong to leave her there. It also seemed strange to know Bailey wasn’t waiting for them. 

Driving home it started to rain. Grandpa thought of how rain is a blessing from God. In spite of their heavy hearts, God demonstrated His love by giving the blessing of rain.