3.13.2018
Memorial Service at St. Christopher's
Here are a few pics. from the service yesterday at St. Christopher's. It was a beautiful day. The flowers didn't turn out exactly like what I wanted. The display table turned out nice. We appreciated three ladies from that church setting up a small reception following the service. Out of about 39 guests... 28 of those were Mormon ;)... at an Episcopal church. I hope it was what mom wanted.
3.06.2018
Life Upside Down
When mom went back to the nursing home, everything she knew as normal was gone. We put alot of prayer and thought into the choice to move her there. After three weeks of taking care of her in the bed, we realized that we couldn't do enough for her here at home. The pace was more than we could handle. I couldn't leave home, hardly ever, and when a Home Instead lady wasn't here...Ron was the one helping me. So it was a sad day when she went back to the nursing home and that was compounded by a few other things. She no longer had her chair, her TV, her radio, and my cooking... but they also took away the Hospice nurse that we liked and her priest at Saint Christopher's retired. On top of those things she had some dementia that was rapidly progressing, so she was not very happy there at the nursing home. I went there everyday for at least a couple hours and we hired Kelly (one of the former Home Instead ladies) to also go there for two hours everyday. She not only helped mom, but she was extra eyes and ears for me, to know what was going on at the nursing home. The Hospice aids still went to bathe her...but even that was a struggle. Of course, Andersons went to see her every Sunday, before coming to our house for dinner.
This week, I have been finishing up details for the memorial service here at Saint Christopher's. I ordered some photos to be mounted on foam core board, ordered some flowers, and have been putting together some other photos and items to display on a table. I called her long term insurance trying to get reimbursement for the nursing home bill. I called her life insurance to get that claim started. I called to start making plans for Denver...at the cemetery and a memorial service there. I still have other items to finish and I don't have the death certificates yet. I have been sorting through her old photos and family history info. and I need to clean out her room... mostly just clothing to donate.
This week, I have been finishing up details for the memorial service here at Saint Christopher's. I ordered some photos to be mounted on foam core board, ordered some flowers, and have been putting together some other photos and items to display on a table. I called her long term insurance trying to get reimbursement for the nursing home bill. I called her life insurance to get that claim started. I called to start making plans for Denver...at the cemetery and a memorial service there. I still have other items to finish and I don't have the death certificates yet. I have been sorting through her old photos and family history info. and I need to clean out her room... mostly just clothing to donate.
3.04.2018
It's Been a Long Year
It's the first of March and the first couple of months for 2018, have been a long year!
On New Years Eve, Jim Simms passed away. He is a bit younger than Alex and his death was a big surprise. Annie and Alex and the kids were on vacation and tried to get back to Durham as quick as possible, then Alex came to Dallas for the memorial service. We went too, which meant mom had to go to the Bandera nursing home for respite care. When we got back, she was in bad shape (like normally happens with respite care... she stayed in the bed for the entire 5 days.) and she had an upper respiratory infection. So for the entire month of January she was bed ridden. We did what we could here at home until the end of the month, and then we realized that we couldn't keep trying to take care of her in the bed. (I have known for quite awhile that situation would be very difficult.) On January 26, we moved her back to the nursing home. In the next four weeks, she stayed bed ridden, refusing to sit up, many times refusing to eat or drink, and having severe progress on dementia. She got weaker and weaker... eating less... and not drinking very much water either. On February 18th, Sam and Audrey went to see her and they could tell that she probably wouldn't last much longer. She was telling them good bye. Mike and Carrie and the boys decided to come on Feb.23 and go see her on Saturday, the 24th. At that point she couldn't talk or open her eyes... not really responding to anything. (and her breathing was pretty bad.) On Sunday morning, the 25th, the nursing home called me and said that her vital signs were getting pretty rough, and I should come there right away. I stayed at church long enough to get everything situated for primary. I got to the nursing home about 12:15. Dan Harkness was coming into town right behind me. (He was originally planning to come on either the 22nd or 23rd, but they had a bad ice storm in Abilene, so he had postponed until the 26. When I saw how bad she was on Saturday, I called him and said he better come on Sunday.) As it turned out he was the one sitting there at the nursing home with me when she stopped breathing. (Ron was still in Boerne on a high council assignment and Audrey and the boys came back out, but just went to the house.) She seemed to pass away peacefully... not in any pain... just stopped breathing. The hospice nurse was there when I arrived, then he had to go to Boerne to see another patient, then he came back mid afternoon. She was pronounced dead at 2:15. We waited for someone from Grimes Funeral Home to come, then we packed up her personal items. Dan headed back to Abilene and Ron and I went home to have dinner with Audrey and the boys. It was great to have Mike and Carrie and then Sam and Audrey visit her on Saturday afternoon. Especially Mike and Carrie's visit. They talked to her, Mike sang to her and read scriptures. It was perfect. I am not a "talker"... I should have told her a few more things, but pretty much, the only thing I could say on Sunday was, "I am here and Dan is right behind me. There are lots of people waiting for you on the other side." I am glad that Dan was there, she really loved him and I assume it meant alot to her, to have him there. (Even though she was not responding to anything, we have to assume that she could hear us and knew that we were there.) The past week has been crazy with making arrangements for the cremation and memorial services. Some of mom's close friends have, or will be a great help. Memorial service planned at Saint Christopher's Episcopal church, on March 12 at 1 pm. Father Alan is doing most of the planning and work for that. Then there will be another service in Denver, on May 5 and interment at the Arvada cemetery. (Lots of details to still plan for that.) In many ways... taking care of everything has been easier than what most people have to do. I already knew mom's wishes and she has very little property or other items to take care of. Also she has two life insurance policies that should cover all of the costs. Sad thing that Doug and Gary did not get here to see her. I thought that was going happen about the 7th of February... but nope. We have had great support from our friends at church. (It will be interesting to see the Episcopal church full of Mormons ;) All of our kids are planning to meet in Denver... in May. And of course Doug and Gary, mom's Denver friends, and Berthoud family and friends.
On New Years Eve, Jim Simms passed away. He is a bit younger than Alex and his death was a big surprise. Annie and Alex and the kids were on vacation and tried to get back to Durham as quick as possible, then Alex came to Dallas for the memorial service. We went too, which meant mom had to go to the Bandera nursing home for respite care. When we got back, she was in bad shape (like normally happens with respite care... she stayed in the bed for the entire 5 days.) and she had an upper respiratory infection. So for the entire month of January she was bed ridden. We did what we could here at home until the end of the month, and then we realized that we couldn't keep trying to take care of her in the bed. (I have known for quite awhile that situation would be very difficult.) On January 26, we moved her back to the nursing home. In the next four weeks, she stayed bed ridden, refusing to sit up, many times refusing to eat or drink, and having severe progress on dementia. She got weaker and weaker... eating less... and not drinking very much water either. On February 18th, Sam and Audrey went to see her and they could tell that she probably wouldn't last much longer. She was telling them good bye. Mike and Carrie and the boys decided to come on Feb.23 and go see her on Saturday, the 24th. At that point she couldn't talk or open her eyes... not really responding to anything. (and her breathing was pretty bad.) On Sunday morning, the 25th, the nursing home called me and said that her vital signs were getting pretty rough, and I should come there right away. I stayed at church long enough to get everything situated for primary. I got to the nursing home about 12:15. Dan Harkness was coming into town right behind me. (He was originally planning to come on either the 22nd or 23rd, but they had a bad ice storm in Abilene, so he had postponed until the 26. When I saw how bad she was on Saturday, I called him and said he better come on Sunday.) As it turned out he was the one sitting there at the nursing home with me when she stopped breathing. (Ron was still in Boerne on a high council assignment and Audrey and the boys came back out, but just went to the house.) She seemed to pass away peacefully... not in any pain... just stopped breathing. The hospice nurse was there when I arrived, then he had to go to Boerne to see another patient, then he came back mid afternoon. She was pronounced dead at 2:15. We waited for someone from Grimes Funeral Home to come, then we packed up her personal items. Dan headed back to Abilene and Ron and I went home to have dinner with Audrey and the boys. It was great to have Mike and Carrie and then Sam and Audrey visit her on Saturday afternoon. Especially Mike and Carrie's visit. They talked to her, Mike sang to her and read scriptures. It was perfect. I am not a "talker"... I should have told her a few more things, but pretty much, the only thing I could say on Sunday was, "I am here and Dan is right behind me. There are lots of people waiting for you on the other side." I am glad that Dan was there, she really loved him and I assume it meant alot to her, to have him there. (Even though she was not responding to anything, we have to assume that she could hear us and knew that we were there.) The past week has been crazy with making arrangements for the cremation and memorial services. Some of mom's close friends have, or will be a great help. Memorial service planned at Saint Christopher's Episcopal church, on March 12 at 1 pm. Father Alan is doing most of the planning and work for that. Then there will be another service in Denver, on May 5 and interment at the Arvada cemetery. (Lots of details to still plan for that.) In many ways... taking care of everything has been easier than what most people have to do. I already knew mom's wishes and she has very little property or other items to take care of. Also she has two life insurance policies that should cover all of the costs. Sad thing that Doug and Gary did not get here to see her. I thought that was going happen about the 7th of February... but nope. We have had great support from our friends at church. (It will be interesting to see the Episcopal church full of Mormons ;) All of our kids are planning to meet in Denver... in May. And of course Doug and Gary, mom's Denver friends, and Berthoud family and friends.
1.22.2018
Bird Bath
We have a black water tub in the front yard, with water for the animals. The birds decided it was a good swimming hole. (Ron took most of these pics...then I cropped and enhanced)
Snowmen in January
Remember the only snowmen in Texas, in January are inside the house. We have actually had some ice and cold weather this month, and Texas doesn't know how to handle freezing weather. When the freezing sleet was in the forecast for Tuesday... they close schools on Monday evening. Houston may have had a bit more ice than we did. San Antonio had bad black ice on the roads. Anyway... here are my "inside snowmen". I am getting ready to put all these away and start on Valentines day, in a couple of days.
1.08.2018
New Years Eve Dinner
Again, Andersons came out for the normal Sunday evening dinner... this time it was New Years Eve dinner. And, again... only got a few pics of the table- lol.
The Tuesday evening after Christmas, we all went to the Texas Meat Co for dinner and then to the Don Strange Ranch to see the Christmas lights. It was a fun evening, in Boerne. I only got a couple of pics at the barn, at the ranch. (I had to go grab some pics online for this evening out.) Happy New Year!!
The Tuesday evening after Christmas, we all went to the Texas Meat Co for dinner and then to the Don Strange Ranch to see the Christmas lights. It was a fun evening, in Boerne. I only got a couple of pics at the barn, at the ranch. (I had to go grab some pics online for this evening out.) Happy New Year!!
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