My Grandma

First, sorry I have been MIA, alot has been going on! I went on vacation for almost 2 weeks...post to come on that!

My Grandma Esther passed away on July 9. My sister and I had our flights booked to go see her on July 11. Obviously, plans changed...

My grandma was 87 years old and doing alright considering her age. On June 30, my aunt Amanda took Grandma to the doctor for a regular check up. Grandma had been experiencing circulation problems and blisters were forming on her legs and feet due to fluid build up. The doctor decided that he wanted to do some testing to see where some stints could be inserted to help circulate the blood in her legs and feet. The doctor decided that since it was a holiday weekend, that it would be a waste of time to admit Grandma for the testing until after July 4.

On July 5, Aunt Amanda took Grandma to the hospital to be admitted for the testing. While they were waiting for the room, I spoke to Grandma on the phone. She seemed happy and a little tired of waiting. They got in her room around 5:00 PM and ordered dinner and got Grandma settled in for the night. She was a little confused and somewhat dizzy. Grandma fell while trying to get to the bathroom that night. The nurses set up a little portable toilet next to the bed and instructed her to call for assistance if she needed to get up.

On July 6, the doctor decided that Grandma's kidneys weren't functioning well enough to do the testing. They decided that they would change some medications and add some fluids to increase the kidney functioning for testing on Thursday, July 7. That evening, her kidneys were functioning well enough for testing and it was decided it would begin the next morning.

On July 7, the nurses woke Grandma for breakfast. She was dizzy and began throwing up blood. The doctors weren't sure what was going on and thought maybe it was a stomach ulcer or another GI problem. They began a fluid that would coat her stomach to make her more comfortable. That night, they also gave Grandma a blood transfusion.

On July 8, the vomiting stopped but Grandma was just not feeling right. She was sleeping alot and having pain. The doctors began morphine.

On July 9, Grandma was still on the morphine and an anti-anxiety medication as well to help her relax and sleep. My aunts Amanda and Emilie began looking at health care places that Grandma could stay at following the testing and possible stint surgeries. They also met a really nice hospice nurse. The nurse met Grandma as well. The doctors and nurses helped my aunts to realize that Grandma was not in any condition to undergo any testing or surgery. She was still on the morphine and needing it much more often than the hospital allows. The decision was made to take Grandma to hospice. Aunt Emilie rode with Grandma in the ambulance to the hospice and told her they were going home.

At the hospice, a nurse was talking to my aunts telling them about the services they offer and explaining that they could stay the night if they wanted to. Another nurse was tucking Grandma into bed. The nurses caught each others' eyes and told my aunts it was time to say good bye. Amanda and Emilie stood by Grandma and held her hand as she took her last breaths. Grandma passed away less than an hour after being admitted to hospice. My aunts said it was the most peaceful they have seen Grandma in a long time and they are so thankful to the wonderful nurses at the hospice.

Nobody is really sure why Grandma had such a decline in health so quickly after being admitted to the hospital for routine testing. My aunts believe that Grandma felt comfortable and safe in the hospital and hospice and felt it was ok to let go. Grandma had been falling down a couple times a week and she was losing weight. She was also having a hard time getting up in the morning and taking her medications. She had lots of nurses and helpers coming to her house during the day while Aunt Emilie went to work.

I love my Grandma so much and I miss her. I hate that my sister and I missed seeing her by less than 48 hours, but I think it was for the best. We can remember her in her own home and healthy. I don't think I would have wanted to see her in pain or in the hospital. I am thankful for the times we got to spend with her and I know she is in Heaven now.

When my mom died in 1998, my Grandma kept saying that she wished it was her because she had already lived a long life. Grandma got 13 more years here on Earth and I cherish those times with her. I hope she is with her husband and my mom and that she is happy.

Last summer in Kansas City, MO with my sister Hannah, brother Philip, and Grandma Esther

My First "What I'm loving Wednesday"

So I don't know how to "link up" and all that but I totally love the concept of taking the time out to think about the positives. So here goes...

I'm loving that I only have 1 more day of work and then 4 days off! Thanks America, for having a birthday!

I'm loving that my summer vacation is only 11 days away...and its 10 days long! That will be a post all by itself :)

I'm loving my dog, Cooper. He is the best! Love cuddling up with him! Not sure why his eye looks weird in this picture.

I'm loving all the summer shows I'm watching...I definitely subscribe to all the "trashy" and teen shows. Love "Secret Life of the American Teenager," "Switched at Birth," "Pretty Little Liars," "The Little Couple," "19 Kids and Counting," "16 and Pregnant"...I could go on and on. Sooo thankful for my DVR :)

I'm loving Blogging! I wish I had more time to sit down and learn more about it and write more but I am starting slow, so I'll get there.

One more picture of my pup at my favorite place in the world...the beach!

Well that's my first WILW...its probably a little boring, but these are the things that are making me happy right now, so it works for me!

Just a Lazy Day

I cherish my weekends. When you work 40+ hours a week at a pretty stressful job, those 2 days off in a row are the most amazing thing in the world. This week coming up will be a 4 day week because Friday is a lovely furlough day. For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a day off without pay. We have a furlough day once a month and its always linked with a weekend (Friday or Monday) and I look forward to them. Most people hate them because it means the furlough paycheck is less money, but I think the day off is worth it. I started my job with furloughs, so I don't miss the money I never had in the first place :) Because Monday is the 4th of July, I have a furlough Friday and holiday Monday which means a 4 day weekend!! I'm so excited to go home and see the family, especially this little cutie!

My parents are moving this weekend, so it will be so weird to go "home" and it not really be "home." They are really excited though, so I am happy for them. Now that Sean (above) is the only one in the house, my parents no longer need the 6 bedroom house they bought when they got married in 2002. They are moving to the next neighborhood over into a house with a pool...so jealous! Guess I'll be making more time to go home during the summer!

As much as I love my family and going home, its hard to do it. Like I said, my weeks are busy and now that I'm an "adult" I do laundry and grocery shopping on weekends and making the 3 hour drive home just seems hard to fit in. I used to go home once a month or even more often...now its about every 3 months or on holidays and special occasions. I was there in May for Sean's first Communion and Mother's Day. I also was able to meet up with my parents and Sean at Seabrook Island, SC for Memorial Day. I'll see them next weekend since I have a 4 day weekend and I want to see the new house with stuff in it!

Sean at Seabrook Island. That's a Chinese food box, but its a snow cone. Such a cute idea! I think it had some kind of wax layer on the inside so it didn't soak through. You can probably tell I LOVE my baby brother. I always tell him he's my favorite youngest brother.

Before Sean was born, I always felt a little left out. My dad and stepmom had each other, my brother and stepbrother had each other and my sister and stepsister had each other and I was the odd one out. I'm sure that was me being a dramatic teenager, but when Sean came along, I felt like I finally had my own "partner" in the family. We talk on the phone a lot and I send him little packages in the mail when I can. I miss him, can't wait to see him! I have lots of exciting stuff coming up including a trip, so I really hope to keep up with the blog and have interesting stuff to write about! Guess we will wait and see...

In Honor of Father's Day

So I thought that since Father's Day is this Sunday, I could write a little bit about my hero...my Dad! I know most girls consider their dad their hero, but my dad really is. He is one of the greatest people I know. Here is a picture of him and me from a couple of years ago.

My mom and dad were high school sweethearts. They married when my mom was almost 21 and dad had just turned 22. I was born 18 months later. When I was almost 4, my mom had twins, a boy and a girl.

My dad and mom when I was Baptized in 1986...my dad looks so young (and proud)!

When I was 12 years old and the twins were 9, my mom was 8 months pregnant with another baby boy. On December 6, 1998, my mom suffered a brain anuerism and died. The baby, little Daniel Liam, lived for a few more hours and then joined my mom in Heaven. I had always loved my dad and admired him, but when this tragedy occurred, that's when I knew my dad was the most amazing man in my life. Even that night, he showed incredible courage, bravery, and faith. He went with my mom to the hospital, came home and told us kids what happened, and then went straight back to the hospital to spend whatever time he could with Daniel. My dad was able to stay strong and hold Daniel in his arms and tell him all about his awesome mom and siblings until he took his last breath. I know it was a whirlwind night for my dad and I am just so inspired by his strength.

After my mom died, all of our lives changed, as expected. My dad was never an absent parent, he was always involved in our lives, but he was definitely the typical working father and disciplinarian. My dad was immediately put into the role of mother and father. I turned 13 two weeks later and stepped into a motherly role as well. My dad and I worked as a team to make sure everything was taken care of (homework, laundry, meals, etc.). I helped schedule doctor appointments and kept a calendar of all the activities we were involved in (soccer, dance, religious education, etc.). I think that a lot of men would fall apart being a single dad, and I know it was probably a struggle for my dad, but he never let it show. He took everything in and went with it.

Today, my dad is remarried. My step mom had 2 children from a previous marriage and she and my dad had a son together. That's right, a total of 6 kids...3 boys, 3 girls. Many people call us the Brady Bunch, but our life together definitely did not run as smoothly as the Brady house and we don't have an Alice :) 

This is all of us "kids" Sean (8), Adam (21), Bailey (18), Me (25), Philip (21), and Hannah (21). The last 2 are the twins. Adam, Philip, and Hannah were all in the same kindergarten class. Yes, my stepmom and mom knew each other. That's how she and my dad began dating...my dad began going to school events, church, birthday parties, and sports games and kept running into my stepmom at everything. While there were some issues at first, we have all come together and become one big family.

Well this post is becoming more about the family than my dad, so I'll finish it up. All in all, I just want to say Happy Father's Day to the greatest dad in the world...Mine!



Starting out Slow...

I have finally decided to start a blog. I read soooo many daily that I decided I need to join the fun! I started out followng Emily Parker because she posted her link on facebook. We had a class or 2 together in college. From there, I have mostly followed her friends. Hopefully I don't look like a stalker! She would write posts and mention friends doing fun things (wedding planning, having a baby, etc.) and I would click on their link and get hooked. But, I have seen through her posts that she has made friends in the blogging world and then met them in real life, so I'm guessing its not that weird to follow strangers?

It has taken me a long time to make the jump into blogging because my job is pretty much my life and because of what I do, I can't talk about it. Believe me, I have plenty of stories, but I'm pretty sure I have signed something saying I wouldn't discuss it. I am a social worker for the Department of Family and Children Services. My main job is to manage foster homes, but like many state employees, I wear many hats!

I guess I can start off by describing myself, even though this blog is really just for me to look back on, but I know I would love some followers :) Let's see...I am the oldest of 6 children and we are a blended family. I'm sure I will elaborate on that in later posts. I went to Valdosta State University for 2 years and then transferred to Augusta State University to be closer to home (but not too close) and closer to the Medical College of Georgia. At that time, I wanted to be a nurse. Soon after, I realized that I love helping people, but hate blood, snot, vomit, etc. Nursing was definitely Not for me! I switched my major to social work and immediately began looking forward to classes, made the Dean's List every semester, and became truly happy in my studies. I graduated with a bachelor's degree in social work and 4 months later, I began my life in the DFCS world.

I know I could write for hours, but like I said, I'm starting out slow. Although I love the blogs that have tons of photos, I have to say, I don't take pictures like I should. When I have a photo that goes with whatever I'm talking about, I will post it, but can't gaurantee a photo every time. For now, take a look at my sweet little dog, Cooper...he's my profile picture!