For instance, my granddaughter Katelyn (the Bug) makes me smile all the time!  Today I spent some time with my Bug and Grace and my son in law Nathan, it was a blessing to me!   They rescued me from the rehab hospital for an adventure to the lake house at Cedar Creek Lake, where Bug and I rode the riding lawnmower (monmower according to Bug) and mowed the yard.   Grace watched from the window and Nathan  did some heavy lifting.  Thank you, Nathan, I needed that!

Here is a quick Bug story from Easter.  My daughter, Jenny and Katelyn decided to call my brother to make sure he was making homemade ice cream for Easter.  Let me just make it clear that my brother is the all time homemade ice cream making dude!  He and Lu can make any kind you can imagine and they all all wonderful.  It is a gift.  Anyway, Katelyn calls Clyde and asks, “Uncle Clyde, ice cream for Easter”.  This is a question from a 2 year old.  Do I even need to tell you that she already has him wrapped around her finger after she finally got his name right at the top of her voice during our great nephews wedding last summer, nothing like “Uncle Clyde, Uncle Clyde, Uncle Clyde” ringing out in a Church during a wedding.  I digress.   Bug asks him to make ice cream and his response is “well, sure, what kind do you want?”.    Hang on, here is where she actually gives the MOST perfect answer to the question “what kind of ice cream do you want”, when she replys, “MORE”.

All praise to God for allowing me to live long enough to be blessed with 3 awesome grandchildren.

Update on the man: Harry spent his first day at the rehab hospital in Plano, since it is the weekend all that really happened was an assessment of his condition.  Many thanks for all your well wishes and prayers!

Life is an adventure that I often take for granted.  Thank you to all of you who teach me new lessons every day.

My dear friend, Mary F sent me a book called “Saving Simon” about a man and a rescued donkey and life.  This reminded me I needed to blog again regarding all that has happened since my last blog.  Here is the quote from this book,  which “unfroze” me and allowed the words to flow again, “The theater of chance is nothing more or less than life itself, erratic and unpredictable, filled with love, hope, opportunity, disaster, illness, war and uncertainty.  Every day, we enter the theater. Every day we learn what is in store for us”.  (thank you, Jon Katz)

This message is hard for a person who has the illusion of control.

Now what is up with us, first we (Harry and I) did not think it was time for us to get another dog.   Then it happened, our friend Pam V, sent me social media links to “heeler rescue” sites.  And I delayed a few days acting on that, the day I acted there was a post about a young female heeler who was abandoned in a park.  You have guessed the rest, with the help of Lu, my sister in law (sister by choice), we met and now cannot imagine life without Grace.  We call her Grace because it is the grace of God that caused her to come in our lives and rescue us.  Our vet says she is roughly 2 years old, still a little frightened by certain things and full of energy and love which Grace is more than willing to share.  “Every day we learn what is in store for us”, the day I looked on that site and saw her face, I did not know what was in store for me and cautiously I accepted it and she is my best friend.

Maybe you would say, well that is enough to learn, we are happy for you.  The “theater of chance” has more in store as another day begins and we learn.   On Tuesday, May 2, Harry was teaching a class on communication in Plano, he was attempting to get out of the way of the screen so students could see the projection when he tripped over something and fell sideways, falling hard on his right hip.  This was late afternoon.  EMS was called and he was taken to a hospital.  They called me and told me about this and I think I sort of went into shock/denial.  Harry called me from the ambulance and said “I think I am just bruised up, don’t come here now, we will know more later”.   I called my brother, Clyde, who lives close and asked him to go to the emergency room for me.  Our friends, Joel and Angela, were also there with Harry in class and they went to emergency also, so I knew he was surrounded by people who love him and I could wait and see at home. Grace and I awaited word of what was happening, she was fairly unconcerned as long as we played ball and I scratched her behind the ears.

The word was more than bruised, the first word was a crack near the head of his femur and surgery would be required.  By this time, I was into action and out of shock/denial so Grace and I started to Plano around 9 that night, Harry and I talked on the phone and he convinced me to wait until morning because maybe they would transfer him home to be worked on by his Doctors here.  Grace and I turned around and went back home.  She listened and I told her what was going on and what we were doing and my concern about not going and the debate in my head of being tired and not needing to drive into the night and yet wanting to be with Harry in the hospital.  Grace agreed it was a conundrum (not the wine).

Wednesday morning the sun came up and we took off for Collin County, I had waited as long as I could.  The real word on his condition was the neck of the femur was broken.   His ortho Dr at home and the surgeon in Plano did not agree on the action to be taken.  Since it is Harry’s decision what will happen in his care, he opted for the Dr whose group has performed his 16 other surgeries (since the accident in 2010) successfully.  That surgery (metal femoral head replacement) was performed on Thursday, during surgery his blood pressure went low so they took him to CCU from recovery.  He is working hard to be back where he was….walking, working, teaching, inspiring others and telling bad jokes.  He will go from the hospital to a rehab facility in Plano as soon as possible.  Yesterday I toured rehab facilities (do this without appointments if you have to do this), I went back to report to Harry and we made a choice.  It is now up to our insurance company and availability at the facility as to when he will be there.

Grace is with me, we are staying with Clyde and Lu, they are gracious hosts and Grace loves them, so they must be okay.

All we need is the prayers and support of our friends and family and I promise to be better at this blog thing.

This post will be a random stream of consciousness or unconsciousness from Avis.

This week has been a whirlwind of emotion.  Gigantic thank you’s to all of you for all your well wishes and concerns for Harry and I in the loss of our sweet baby dog, Belle.   For those of you who have lost a beloved pet…you know how hard this is.   This is what it is like for me, if i stayed home the dog is not there and it is sad, when i awaken in the night the dog is not there and it is sad, then if I leave home and come back she is not there to greet me so that is sad…just lots of tears.   My friend, Suze Miller, said this to me “I never feel like much of a grownup when I lose a pet”.  She is SO right…instant 5 year old and want to climb in your Mom’s lap, AND Mom is gone too.   So many tears!

Switch emotions:  today we are on a vigil for the arrival of our latest grandchild.  It is a boy and he is taking his own sweet time.   This morning Harry and I kept his older sister (2 year old Katelyn who we call “Bug”).  We took her for “donts”, which we might call donuts, with sprinkles, of course.  I asked her if she thought she would get a baby brother today and she said “no baby…puppy”.  I am pretty sure my daughter will give birth to a human child not a canine.  However the thought of the competition might be catching up with Bug, or maybe she just knows puppies are more fun than babies.  Bug will survive this!

ALL in all,  it is all a love filled week, first all the love poured out to us from our friends over the loss of Belle, and now the love poured out for the birth of this baby boy.  When he comes I will do my best to figure out how to add a photo.

Blessings to you all!

If I keep singing this in my head, will it become true?  Last night in her sleep our sweet baby dog, Belle, left us to go run for my Mom in Heaven.

How can I be so sad,  especially with the light of Harry’s great recovery and the imminent arrival of our next grandson on the horizon.    I really know why this is so hard.  She is my first dog (seriously).  Okay that story, my Dad hated dogs (no one living knows why), we only had one dog when I was a child and that one only for a few days.  Someone gave my Dad a dog for us (I am the youngest of four children), I was a in diapers and the dog chased me around and to Dad was harassing me (I do not remember this), so Mom and Dad decided the dog had to go.  My sisters and brother demanded a vote (so they say) and my sibs voted to get rid of me and my parents (usually very democratic) outvoted them and they gave the dog away not me.   So from then until this dog came into my life via my son, I did not know the joy of dog ownership.     I came to it slowly then obsessively.  If I could have taken her with me everywhere, I would have done that.  She became the grandchild we thought we would never have.  She was my companion and confidant through our family crisis in 2009 (Harry car accident) and her chin in my lap helped me through the loss of my Dad and my Mom.  No questions asked, she just loved me.  She listened and she distracted me from the pain.  Belle, the wonder dog, who performed at a KW awards event and chased every squirrel she ever saw and for the last few years, one of her main jobs was to protect us from our chickens.   She barked at them every time she went outside in order for the chickens to understand not to attack Harry and I. Belle has always protected us from 18 wheelers, she barked at every one of them we met on every road when she was awake.  In her younger days she would play Frisbee until I thought she would pass out.   She has stood between me and ANYONE approaching me for a hug (are you friend or foe, she wanted to know).    “How long before I will be used to this?    Keep me in your prayers today.

Yesterday this was the theme of a devotional I read in Daily Guideposts.  Story goes a woman overheard a man whose legs had become paralyzed say that in a hospital room to a nurse and it became this woman’s message of hope for life changes.   Touched me deeply as we are going through some life changes.

Update on Harry, tomorrow will be the last day of IV antibiotics.   Oral antibiotics continue for some time.  He is building strength and sometimes walks without the walker (not supposed to).

We are on vigil with our very sick dog.   Yesterday, the vet wanted us to try something else, so we are.  It is so very hard to watch her go downhill, then rally for awhile, then back down hill.   I have a story I will share soon about this dog.   The truth is “I am used to this yet”.

Meanwhile, the “Bug”, our granddaughter Katelyn told her mom she was “hungry as a cow”.   Interesting comment, she is currently obsessed with cows. Bug’s little brother is supposed to arrive next Friday for his world debut!     And Baby Anthony just smiles all over AND he has turned loose and is walking, Scott and Kelli’s world just titled and they don’t know it.  “I am not used to this yet, either”.    We are blessed and count each of you as a blessing.

His steadfast love lasts forever, his faithfulness lasts generation after generation.” Psalm 100:5

In my morning devotional this was the scripture, it is exactly what I needed to hear.

The last few days at home have been a whirlwind of activity.  Harry is healing well, Belle is adjusting to her medication and feeding schedule, neither of them without incident, yet small steps forward.   It has been 3 days since Belle gave her food back to me, a blessing.  And we seem to have hit the routine on how often the bandages on Harry’s leg will blow out, so I have not had to wash everything on the bed clear of blood for a few days, a blessing.   I only offer this detail because many of you are caregivers and you know, YOU are not alone!  AND  I know there are worse things than this could be happening.  “HIS faithfulness lasts forever”

The wind has stirred up some nasty thing which caused me to take a trip to the Dr yesterday to make sure I did not have anything that required antibiotics and thankfully, it is allergies.

Gratitude for all of you praying for us gives me strength.  Thank you.  Remember in all things, be thankful.  Here a sample of things I am grateful for:  the pilot on the water heater has not blown out again, the washer is working, the dog is sleeping, no more chickens have died, the chickens are laying again, Harry is resting peacefully, you are praying for us, the heater AND the air conditioner are working since we might use both today, all my family by birth and by choice, each of you is one of those!

We are home from the hospital!!!   They released Harry about 2:15 this afternoon and we then had an appointment with the “infectious disease” Dr at 3:30 in Austin.  We left there at 6 with a week’s worth of hand grenade type iv antibiotics (this will go on for 6 weeks, three times a day).  Three stops on the way back…for a burger for Harry, for prescriptions and to pick up Belle from Scott’s house.  Harry is sleeping now, I will have to wake him up at 10 for the iv.

Belle’s insulin has caused her to have an upset tummy, so she has thrown up almost everything we tried today.  I boiled some chicken and rice which has stayed down for about an hour now.  Tomorrow, we will be in touch with the vet about all this.   I know some of you are not “dog people” (I used to not be a “dog people”) and you will not understand why I would spend time reporting on the dog.  Let me say this, Belle is the reason I did not go insane when Harry was first in the accident.  She always knew when to put her chin on my lap and when to play ball and when to lick my hand or foot or cheek.  She is our baby.  All the “dog people” get this!

We are home together that alone is significant!!

Again, I thank all of you for the prayers.

Today Harry needed no help going from chair to bed, he EVEN lifted his leg without assistance onto the bed.  This is HUGE!   His strength is returning AND I credit his desire to be well and your prayers being answered for this!    I believe now for sure they will release him tomorrow.

Belle, the wonder dog, and I have worked on getting her insulin dosage correct AND I learned something, if you have a large ladle and you sneak up behind a dog while they are doing their business you might get a sample you can test for glucose.  This is entertaining, at best, AND disgusting at worst.   The hardest part is the  “sneak up” part.

Belle and I got the at home hospital bed all ready to receive Harry, linens all washed and replaced, bedside table and lamp all working.  I then went out to the greenhouse and rescued the shower bench that was holding dead plants (remember it was 12 degrees here about a week or so ago).   Scrubbing down the bench, then pouring bleach all over it, taking it into the house and spraying it with the hottest water I could, makes it good to go now!

Thank you for following us on this blog or through facebook, we intended to create this for posting inspirational messages, then Harry got sick, therefore it has begun as an update on Harry blog.

Thank you for your prayers!   We say prayers of thanksgiving for you!

avis

Good morning!  Thank you all always for prayers!  Yesterday was a long day for Harry, and a good one.  They removed the drain from his knee, which means there is one less thing plugged into him (maybe he cannot communicate as far as Mars now?!?).  He was up and walked 3 times, all the while getting stronger.  Unless there is a set back the plan is for him to come home Monday.  I hope there is no setback.

Scott and I are working on getting Belle’s insulin dosage correct, yesterday she almost tanked, Scott was able to stay with her until the Vet called and this morning, she is tired AND she is okay!   I remember this medication dance with my Mom.  BTW, did you know that that people insulin is cheaper than canine insulin,  how would you figure that?

For some unknown reason, I have been unable to sleep much lately and last night I believe I caught up, went to bed at 8:15 and slept till 7:30 this morning.  A glass or two of a nice Cabernet did not hurt with that!  AND the chickens were a little upset with the late feeding, so I reminded them of their sister they let freeze to death last Friday night and they should be glad just to get fed at all.

Thank you for caring enough to read this, thank you for your prayers!

Onward, literally this morning, through the fog!

avis

Good afternoon!  Thank you for your prayers and well wishes!   Harry had a good night and was awake and having breakfast when I arrived at the hospital this morning.  His sense of humor is in intact, even though his body is a little weak and he is plugged into to several things and he might be able to communicate with Mars, I am not sure.   This day has been spent with Drs and therapy people and nurses in and out and doing “things” to him.  He has been up and walked twice today.  Just a little while ago he walked down the hall about 2 doors away from his room.  He is “on the mend”.   God is good, all the time!