I went to see Mom and Dad this morning. Dad was sound asleep in bed and Mother was just sitting in her wheelchair in the big room. I sat down and talked to her for a while, but she had no idea what I was saying. She asked me where J.R. was and I told her I didn't know. Debbie said that they had both eaten a good breakfast and that Dad's sugar had been good. Mother is really pitiful. She just seems so unaware of everything. Anyway, not a lot to report. love you all, pat

That's totally awesome Pat! Life just flies by, huh? Love to all, Judy

Hey, Sisters! I will be going to see Mom and Dad Friday morning if the "Lord's willing and the creek don't rise"! We are getting a new roof on our house and these last several days have been chaotic at best! Hopefully it will be done by the end of the weekend! Anyway, we were cleaning out stuff out of our attic and I found a box of my high school stuff and a diary I had written when I first went to college! It was pretty interesting to read. But, what I wanted to share was that all through the diary I mention Mother and Daddy and how they were such good parents and how sweet they were! I mention several times about calling Mother when I was homesick and how she was so sweet and made me feel better. It was priceless, because I don't really remember thinking all that! I also talk a lot about writing Jeanie and about how Judy and Leisa would come visit us. One time I wrote " I miss Mother and Daddy and little Jamie so much!" Is that not funny? It was just strange to read words that I had written 40 years ago! okay, love you all! pat

This is wed and I went to see Mom and Dad at lunch today. Mom hadn't eaten a lot, but I fed her all her ice cream, watermelon and yogurt + her last french fry. Dad had eaten good. Nikki told me that this morning Dad's blood sugar was 66! YIKES! At lunch it was 103. I asked if he'd not eaten supper last night and she didn't know. Anyway he looked good, but several of the things he said didn't make sense. He said someone had stollen three wallets + all their contents from him and he didn't know what they would do. Then he said all would be fine if Mom had just brought some cigarettes with her! I don't know the thing with the cigs for him! He also said someone named Bob had borrowed some money from him and he couldn't remember who! LOL! Anyway, we sat outside for about 30 to 40 minutes. There was the best breeze. After awhile Mom got real aggitated---kept saying something about not knowing what to do and I don't know and I don't know. I finally took her back inside because I thought the familiar surroundings would help. It seemed to. In fact she got really sleepy. I took the other two pics down and hung them up + put a throw on their couch. I don't figure you'll notice the throw since the couch is usually piled high with pillows and bedding! Anyway, they were doing ok. Not awesomely, but certainly not the worst I've seen either. Mom has another skin tear on her arm. She got it last night when they were trying to change her and she was fighting them. The nurse called me and said Mom was hitting and biting! YUCK! Don't like the sound of that at all! Ok, Love you all, Jeanie

Jeanie and I are writing to ourselves again!lol We went to the LNC today and they were both pretty good. They both physically look good. Dad was pretty garbled today and said some weird things. He even looked at the name on his door and said "james shelton" like he didn't know that was himself! I said Dad you know that's you right? He just looked at me. When I asked him who "Margaret Shelton" was, he said James' wife. Weird! He asked about his tobacco though and had Jeanie got him some which made him happy. Mom had coffee and she said "Oh, that's so good, I love my coffee". She fell asleep in her chair before we left and we didn't bother her. Jeanie and I took some things down to hang on their wall and try to make the room a little more appetizing. We moved the clock that we had previously taken down there to the wall by Mom's bed so you see it first thing. Then we moved the 2 wooden "closets" together and moved the shorter part with the tv to the end by the door so you see it first. It was hidden between those 2 big closets. I took an American Flag picture down and the maintenance man is going to put screws/nails in the wall in about 3 places we marked so we can hang some new "art work" on their wall. lol It's already better! We're going down again in the morning to see them and finish some things for the walls. Hopefully tomorrow will be as good as today. The day for myself personally wasn't so hot since I fell walking out! I thing I sprained some muscles in my low back and will be stiff as a poker probably for the next few days but at least I don't have a head injury!~lol Let's hope for a better day tomorrow for at least myself!~lol Love to all, Jeanie and Judy

Here's hoping they will be at least this good when I come up on Sunday to see them Monday and Tuesday!~ They have been worse for sure!!lol I do have a flag picture for their wall and will bring it up this weekend. I'm sure my garage has just about anything you'd want IF I could find it out there!lol Love to all, Judy

Today is Thurs, and I just got back from visiting Mom and Dad! They were both at the front door when I got there today and Dad was mumbling badly! The lady working there couldn't understand him either. I finally figured out he was looking for tobacco. Mom didn't even realize I was there! Anyway,I pushed Mom back around to the nurses' station and Debbie said I (meaning herself) have a new name. I'm like---what? Anyway, she said Dad couldn't remember her name and now just called her 'repeat'! What on earth!?! No idea! Anyway, he got his tobacco, but he said he'd lost his cap. It was in his room beside his bed on the table! Got it for him and then went into their room to try to eliminate some of the channels on their tv. It goes like up to 122 and higher. Sick of the Country Music Videos! LOL! Anyway, they both came in there and Mom was just talking---the way she used to do. Talking about everything and to 'someone' and answering and just talking! She was fine---not mad or anything--just talking. Once she goes: look that lady fell down! The lady on the tv had! Dad talked to me and made sense after we got back to the room and were just talking. I REALLY want to do something to their room! Crack out the ole brains, sisters, and let's do something to help the 'feel' of their home now! I'm thinking a flag, flag pic, pics of family, something that looks and feels like a home! I finally tore off the April and June (go figure! not even May's) activity calendar off their lockers today! I couldn't stand that any longer! They were doing ok. Dad told me to be careful and Mom did ask what was I going to do today. They were both clean. Mom must have two skin tears---one on each wrist, and Dad had a bandaid on his right hand by his Murray State ring. I asked about it and he said he'd hit it on the edge of the wall out there (meaning the hall). Oh, and Mom had a FIT when they came to take her to the bathroom. So much so that they just left her and said they'd try again later. Dad said 'she's fighting them again', so I'm assuming this is normal! LOL! Ok, love you all! It's suppose to be hotter than blue blazes the next few days here! OH, and Little Billy has made the first of the copies of the DVD's that I had made at WalMart! He's been really worried and busy----his prostate cancer has come back and he's taking treatments for it. He's such a great guy. I'm suppose to play them to make sure they're ok, and then he'll make the other copies and FINALLY I can mail all the pics, cd's, etc out! YEA! Jeanie

Thanks for the great post! I hate that I'm not closer and could visit at least weekly but 6 hours round trip plus gas is barely doable every other week! I'm planning on coming next week though after vacation bible school is over this week. Brittney and family are having a blast in Hawaii and Leisa/Katilyn are so excited and having fun in NYC. So glad the young get to go on amazing trips!lol Love to all, Judy

Ok, I just caught up reading all the previous posts I've missed! Good grief! Debbie said something today about the pneumonia being better--talking about Dad! I'm like pneumonia! Noone EVER said that he had that! Well, she says, I'm not 100% sure of that, but I thought that that's what someone had said! Debbie's was off all last week. Anyway, we went to look at his chart, and it shows where a chest x-ray was ordered on the 9th of July, but there are no results. She then called Becky who didn't know but was going to try to find out the results. As for the Big D that Dad had, I said something about C-dif, and Debbie said they'd need to watch it (meaning the D that he had for a couple of days last week). As for the thin, I think Dad has been thin for a while. He didn't look any thinner to me and his hands didn't seem like he'd lost a bunch of weight. I pay more attention when I go back. I said again to Debbie that I'm assuming the c-dif is gone for Mom, and she's like yes. Ok, I've got to get busy today doing something positive. Love you all, Jeanie

Well, I don't even know where to start! It has been SO long since I was on this site! Why? Life! I've had grandkids and trips and just no time! Happy times have been happening to me! Ryan and I just got back from Madison, Wisconsin via Chicago! It 'was such a good time! We went to the once a year American Girl sale for the Madison Children's Museum! It was fun! Anyway, this morning I went to see Mom and Dad. Dad was sound asleep----as in snoring! It was about 5 minutes after 8! I guess he ate breakfast and then went straight to bed! Mom was sitting up in her wheelchair and looked not the least bit sleepy! Go figure! Anyway Mom kept asking what I was going to do today. I told her that I thought I'd paint my rocker. She says 'paint? what color?' I go 'red'. She says 'that would look great!' I mean like we were actually having a conversation. Of course she asked me the same thing several times. She also asked about my husband and how he was. There was a dog on the tv and she asked if I still liked mine----I'm assuming she meant Annie. Anyway, she looked really alert and good. Her shirt was nasty, but I figure that's where she dropped food on herself at breakfast. Debbie came by and she said Mom was REALLY eating! They've been giving her an appetite stimulus. She said at one point that it looked like it was going to rain. It did. It was kind of that hazy hot summer sky! I got up to get a chair and she said you don't have to go yet. Several things that made me think she was/is doing ok. They came in to change Dad and woke him up. I went back into the room and talked to him for a while. He was still SOOO sleepy. He looked so good. I swear today his skin on his face looked ten times better than mine ever thought about being. He looked really peaceful---not stressed and fighting---nothing like that. He grabbed my hand and held it for a long time. He said he was glad to see me and talked pretty sanely. He said something about where's Mother? I said she's sitting there and is fine. He then heard her laugh and said so. He said something about how hot it had been and asked where's Bruce. He said a few things I couldn't hear/understand, but all in all he was good, too. I asked him about his tobacco and he's still not sure how all that works. Anyway, it was a good visit, but it made me cry. I told Bruce I guess I've lost my game face since I haven't really been down there much lately. I just cried all the time he held my hand and talked to me and then cried coming home. I guess it's just the situation that they're in and the whole thing. It just seemed today to be so sad to me. Medically they're doing fine. Physically they seem to be holding their own. I guess it's just the being stuck there that got me today. It's like they're in a hospital and not going home. I don't know. I'll go back tomorrow or Thursday for sure. I just feel like there ought to be something I could do that would make it better. I am going to try to put together some pics for them of family. I showed Mom Dylan's and Pepper's pics today. I asked her if she'd like some pics and of course she said yes. I don't know if she knew what I was talking about, but I did! I need to check their clothes and see if some are ready for the trash and if they need others and could we brighten the room and make it more homey---that kind of thing. I hate the tv always on the country music video channel---that kind of stuff. Anyway, I was glad to see them today and that they seem to be doing so well health-wise! I'll try to write more often now. I love you all, Jeanie

Thanks Pat for the report and update. I hate Mom keeps getting tears but not surprised either. She has no clue about where she is and stuff, so naturally she'll fight at times. Dad looked good last week I thought and didn't really notice he had lost much weight. Wonder what he weighs now? I'll try to remember to ask Jeanie when she goes early in the week. Wonder if Dad has C-Diff now? YUCK! I would think he would have gotten it long before now though if he were going to. I'll post when Pam goes this weekend if she calls me. Love to all, Judy

Jerry and I went to see Mom and Dad today around noon. We got there a little after 12:00 and they didn't get their food until 12:40! I got very aggravated and asked what the problem was and it wasn't long before they had their food! I'm sure they had been sitting there since at least 11:45. On my way there, Nikki called and said that Dad had diarhea(sp?) and that they were giving him some over-the-counter medicine for that. She also said that Mother had been "combative" with the aids this morning and had somehow ended up with a tear on her hand that she thought looked like it had been done with a fingernail. She didn't know if Mother had done it or one of the aids, but she had doctored and bandaged it. Mother's skin is so fragile that it doesn't take much to "tear" it. Anyway, when we got there Mother was sound asleep at the table in her wheelchair. Dad seemed okay and knew who Jerry and I both were. He kept trying to wake Mother up to talk to us, but she didn't. When they finally got their food she woke up and began to eat. I don't think she ever realized that we were there. Dad said something about that he had flown to St. Louis and a few other off-the-wall things, but all in all he seemed okay. I just think that he is SO thin! That worries me! Anyway, not a bad visit, but not especially good either! love you, pat

I feel like I'm taking over the blog since the last two notes are mine! Am I writing to myself??LOL Jeanie and I went to see Mom and Dad yesterday at LNC and they were in the cafeteria since it was shortly after lunch. Mom was still eating and the last person there!~LOL She was scarfing!! She had her spoon going and her hands both. She was even picking up the food she dropped on the table and eating it! She tried drinking her yogurt but not much would come out that way!~LOL She had VERY little to say really but acted at first like she was glad to see us, or maybe it was just someone familiar==not sure which. She then fell asleep instantly after eating and even though we pushed her around to the common area, she slept. They finally just put her to bed and she was sleeping sooooo peaceful when we left. Dad on the other hand ate VERY little. He said he had but you couldn't prove it by his plate! He had eaten his ice cream and drank his coffee. He said they had had it piled high but not sure about that. He had all of one piece of his meat and about half of the other, plus his potato salad left for sure. His cold is better though and he looked good so maybe he just wasn't hungry. We figure he had eaten all his breakfast. He wanted tobacco and we got that and he seemed fine. I started to not press my luck and drive back home yesterday afternoon but Jonesboro had a bad thunderstorm and we decided that I'd stay and Jeanie and I would go back at breakfast today. I'm SO glad I did because Mom recognized me! She seemed excited when she saw us and was so happy, happy, happy. She was almost giddy today! Whatever I'll take it and then she asked me later "Judy where are you going?" Yea!!!~ I do realize that it was a fluck but it made my day and I was so happy for the blessing! Dad was cute because when we were coming down the hall and he saw us, he said "Oh, there's my family". Adorable! He looked good again today and maybe even better than yesterday. He had different clothes on and he said that they had given him a shower today. They were about to give Mom one when we left. Right before we left she had that "mad look where she locks her lips straight across and just stares at you" and Jeanie and I were both thinking we had pressed our luck and should have left 5 min earlier, but she went back to happy as we were leaving so all is well. I wish every visit could be like this and so I'm thinking I'm going to try to go about this time--around 7:45 since she will have had a night's sleep, breakfast and just sitting before she goes back to sleep. Okay girls, get those notes posted so I'm not talking to myself!LOL Love to all, Judy

Lordy, lordy Jamie I have NO clue how to spell the plural of pus but I read over pussy as if it was and didn't even notice!LOL No idea what the breathing treatments are for Dad and not sure that Jeanie even asked her about the medication if there was some in it. I was thinking it was that that where you suck in a pipe and then blow it out like they give you after surgery!LOL Not sure where my mind is! As for Mom's eye==yes she had eyelashes removed a couple of times that were growing inside rather than out but it never lasted for very long. Years ago when we had an opthamologist living next to us in Little Rock, he examined her eyes and wanted to schedule her for some procedure to run that wire through her tearduct (I think she had it previously done in Missouri) but Dad didn't want her to have any surgery that was not a necessity at the time so she dropped it. At least Mom is eating more now which is a plus. Seems we get a plus and then two minuses crop up! Love to all, Judy

Judy you are such a SUPER secretary!! The breathing treatments they're giving Dad...is it albuterol...like for asthma patients? That should perk him up too!! I know when Jason was little and he took those it made him a WILD man!! Mom's eyes were runny and pussy...I mean full of pus, but I realize that spells something totally different..is it pusy? pussie? .....before and they would come and wipe them with a dampened cloth. What was it Mom had done to her eyes...eyelashes pulled or something because they watered too much? Could she have an eye infection? Keep up the good work secretary Judy!! Ona, the man in picture with me is Sig Hansen from the Discovery Channels "Deadliest Catch". It's a show about Seattle crab fishermen in Alaska....it's my weird obsession!! He was here bringing seafood to our wounded warriors at Ft Lewis!! Hope all is well with everyone!! Love, Jamie

I talked to Pam yesterday after she went to see Mom and Dad and she said they were okay. Dad was frustrated because he was waiting on their food (supper tray) but that Mom just grabbed her fork and started eating when it was finally brought to them. Dad told Pam that he wasn't hungry and was just going to throw the food in the garbage but she and Cary did get him to eat some watermelon. She was a little upset because Mom has that yellow matter stuff in her eye and she didn't understand why they wouldn't take 2 minutes to clean it for her. She went to the room and got kleenex and wiped her eyes for her. Pam hates it that it's so much like a mental institution with people hollering and stuff but I told her that at least Mom and Dad don't seem to mind that part at all. I've never heard them mention it at least. Pat went today and she said that they were okay too and that Debbie told her that Mom was eating better than Dad!~ She had sent some more information too on Dad to the doctor because he still has some issues with his chest/coughing. I know will be posting later today her thoughts about them. I'm going up Sunday so will post about Monday and Tuesday next week. Love to all, Judy

Jerry and I went to LNC about 10:30 this morning and they were both asleep. I talked to Debbie and she said Mother had been "rowdy" this morning and Dad's cold seemed to be better. They had both eaten a good breakfast. Mother had eaten 75%. Debbie said that they were giving her something to increase her appetite and that she had been eating much better. I also took Dad a pound pkg. of tobacco. They both looked good and had both had a haircut. Anyway, not too much to report. My whole family has had a stomach virus. I stayed in bed all day yesterday, except to go to the bathroom ( which was frequent!). Feeling a little better today thank goodness. love you, pat

Talked to Pam and she said she was counting it as a good visit because they were both pleasant and not angry. She said that neither of them knew who she was. She asked Dad who she was and he said Jeanie and then when Pam told him no, he said Judy!LOL Pam thinks maybe they are giving Dad something since he talks "goofy" a lot but I don't really think they are. Not sure what is going on with him but he's losing it rapidly it seems. He told Pam that the woman behind them looked like Mom and Pam said he was right that she did look like his Mom, so maybe he isn't too bad! Okay, off to eat! Love to all, Judy

Playing secretary again! Why did I inherit this job?lol I always wanted to be Dad's secretary and guess this is as close as I'll ever get!LOL Talked to Jeanie this morning and she was headed to St. Louis for the holiday weekend. She had talked to Debbie at the nursing home and they finally got a script for Dad for his cough/cold. She said they were also giving him "breathing treatments" which is a normal routine thing. I know it helps break up the phlegm and get it out of his lungs. I also talked to Pam and she was going to go there today to check on them since Pat is having a yardsale and can't go and Jeanie is out of town. Pam said she had been too busy to even look on here, much less write! Jody and Peyton are living there now and I know she's helping Jody with Peyton in addition to her other things. I asked her to call me after the visit and I'll post what she found/thought. I'm going to Jonesboro a week from Sunday (Jeanie is going to be out of town and have Ryan's babies at her house part of the week and so I'll wait to go after she is free again) Now that Brittney and the boys are home (happy as they all can be!!!Yea!!!!) I have plenty of time to stay a couple of days at a time again. I'll post when I go! Happy 4th to all, and God Bless America!! Love, Judy

Hi to all of you...Sorry I haven't been on for a few days. Randall and I had some work done on our house in town last week...new floor, knocked out part of a wall and etc. had to empty all of the china cabinets and stuff. What a mess!!!! Mom and Dad are never going to be the Mom and Dad that we all remember again. Randall's mom is out here (a year older than Mom and Dad)but she is soooo alert and has all of her mind!! Jeanie, I know you think that you just post negative stuff but to the rest of us it's such good information. All of us just have to remember them from the past..so sad to see what's happening to them right now knowing that one day our children will have to deal with us like this. I was shocked that Mom remembered she had a daughter named Ona..since she hasn't known me when I've been there:) Wouldn't it be nice if they both had a good day at the same time. I loved the pictures Jamie..who was the man in first picture? It's always fun to go on vacation, but nice to get back home too until you have to unpack and get back into the normal groove again. All of our kids are home for the Fourth until Monday. Hope all of you have a great Fourth. Keep posting. Love, Ona