MAPQUEST, SCHMAPQUEST!

One of the competitions for Martin's one-act play progression was held at Waxahachie High School.  Wanting to be the cool and independent Mimi, I looked up the route on Mapquest.  Big mistake.  I think I was within a mile or two of the school when my directions had me exit Hwy. 287 and go completely wrong.  When I finally stopped and went in a little country store, I was about 4 miles from the school.  This was o.k. for me--I was early enough that I made it in time to see the play.  But...

My friend Silvia Monzon suffered the same fate.  She ended up in Red Oak following her directions!  The really bad part is that Silvia had the young thespians'  lunch with her.  (Silvia is amazing.  She has a full time job and still does this kind of thing all the time!)  So she and I did a lot of commiserating!

Now when I bought my Priius I got a built-in navigation system.  I was excited until I tried to use it.  My first hint of trouble came when I entered the "start" point, my home address.  The thing told me that address did not exist!  I persevered, and entered the address of Silverado when I was visiting for the first time.  I had no earthly idea how to get to 8855 W. Valley Ranch Parkway, Irving.  Off I went, feeling so confident.  That lasted until I got to a point (nowhere close to Silverado) where it was instructing me to make a U turn, then another U.  I was going in a circle--a very small one.  I was an hour and a half late for my appointment. 

In Jay's eulogy at Jack's funeral, he referred to the fact that Jack never used Google maps, a GPS, or even Mapsco.  He used old-fashioned paper maps.  He had dozens of them.  But you know what?  I don't remember him ever winding up in Red Oak!  As Jay said, "I am pretty sure he could get anywhere he wanted to go."

A Few More New Things!

A few weeks ago I showed you here my redecorating efforts in my guest bedroom.  Since the family was coming for Easter yesterday, I just had to get into high gear again and complete the project.  (By the way, if that "here" above works and refers you to my earlier blog, I must say I am thrilled.  I have only worked on being able to do that for an hour or so!)

So here's the new area....

I love the flower arrangement:

And I just happened to think of this clock, which was at the office, but not in use.  Jack found this clock and liked it.  He had it repaired, and it works.  Isn't it perfect?

 

As for the picture, I didn't look at any that did not feature an eagle.  I love the scriptures about eagles.  This one quotes Psalm 103: 1, 4-5.  "Bless the Lord...Who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, so that your strength is renewed like the eagle's."

My Personal Trainer!

Recently Susan talked to me about joining LA Fitness.  She thought the recumbent bikes and elliptical machines would be good for me.  I agreed, so I joined.

After a few days I got a call suggesting that I come in for a personal fitness evaluation.  I'm sure you can imagine that I was not too excited about that, but I wanted to get my money's worth, so I went.

Here is a picture of my personal consultant.

Well, it IS his picture, but it was taken a few years ago when he was 50 years old.  He was Mr. U.S.A. in 1981.  He also has pictures with Arnold Schwarzenegger and Chuck Norris.  His name is Jay Hall, and I was so pleased when I was assigned a counselor nearer my age than the typical LA Fitness employee.  He asked me not to reveal his current age, but he is a "leetle" older than I.  And in a lot better shape!

So...Jay very graciously wanted to show me how to do crunches and lift weights and who knows what else!  I told him I would be doing good to use the elliptical and recumbent, but that I would let him know when I was ready to progress!  The evaluation certainly showed that progress is needed!

The Way to Treat An Alzheimer's Patient!

The verse from Ephesians that I used in my last post first came to me right after leaving Jack at Silverado on November 21, 2008.  The part of it that is so amazing to me is that it says God is able to do more than we ask or even imagine.  Yesterday I finally asked myself, "Just what did I ask of God on that day in November?"  The answer:  only two things--that Jack be treated well and that they not decide they couldn't keep him.  That's it.

So...how did God answer my meager prayer?  Here are some of the ways.

1.  They engaged Jack.  Rachael, Kisha, and Raul took him along on errands almost every day.

2.  They honored Jack, the construction expert, by asking his opinion and making him feel that it was important.

3.  They involved Jack by asking him to sit in on their meetings.  It was amazing!  I would arrive,and there they would be around the dining table--all the management personnel--and Jack! Later he would invite himself to any meeting he saw taking place.  Even other families accepted Jack's presence at their conferences!

4.  They (especially Mary Poole, R.N.) were more intuitive about his physical needs than I was able to be.  She could tell when his behavior indicated he was suffering pain--from a hernia, for example.  And she was able to smoothly get the problem corrected.  Mary also knew and knows more about Alzheimer's Disease than anyone else I have run across in all these years.

5.  Silverado provided great long halls where Jack was able to walk without limitations--day or night.  (There was only about one week of his life that he was bedridden.)         

6.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that EVERYONE at Silverado LOVED Jack.  This should really be No. 1!  This was not a passive love.  This was an action-filled love.  And it was not just the caregivers.  It was also the families of the other residents.

My concern that Jack's behavior would cause Silverado to send him elsewhere is almost laughable.  Mary was kind enough to say several times to me (in her beautiful Scottish brogue) that Jack was "a walk in the park" to care for.  I really believe that on his worst day they probably would have fought anybody who tried to take him away!

So, do you think I was a little faithless in my request of an almighty God on that day in 2008?   I KNOW I was.  But His goodness does not depend on me, for which I could not be more thankful.  

I have realized that writing these thoughts on this blog is therapy for me.  I thank you if you have hung in and read it.  Feel free to send me a bill!

A Year Ago Tonight...

I held the hand of my husband of 53 years as he breathed his last breath.  I did not expect this anniversary to have as much impact on me as it has.  I thought by now I'd be "all better." 

As with everything, in some ways it seems like he's been gone a long time, and in others, just a while.  As I drove home from Waxahachie tonight after Maddie's one-act play, I thought, "If Jack were still here we would drive to Lubbock to see her in the regional competition."  He was game for anything in which his grandgirls were participating.

My most prevalent thought this week has been how God blessed us with Silverado.  When Jack moved in there were three other residents.  Now there are 51.  The people who played such a tremendous part in helping Jack adjust are all gone.  Only Rachael, the administrator, is still there.  Who are we, that the creator of the universe, the giver of life, cared so much for us and timed matters so perfectly for us?  I could never, ever thank Him enough.

 

 Jack and Charleigh-Girl in his room

The view from Jack's window

                                           Jack with Raul, one of God's gifts


"Now to Him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or imagine, to Him be glory... in Christ Jesus to all generations, for ever and ever.  Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21  That's what He did for us!  More than I even imagined.