Dennis used his vacation time last week to finally complete our washer drain project! It turned out to be a large, complicated procedure and took almost all week (along with installing a new garbage disposal). He recessed the whole apparatus into the wall behind the dryer, which meant cutting out studs and framing and finishing out the area. Then he had to join together two 6-gallon plastic containers and install an automatic pump to drain them. He got everything completed on Thursday night but ended up cracking the pump while installing it. He had had to go to FW to buy the thing. Since he was REALLY wanting to go visit his mom before her surgery, I told him just to pick up a new pump on his way up to Arkansas, and he could finish the job when he came home. (He only had one day to spend with his mother, as it was!) So he got up Friday morning, cleaned up the garage, and went to Arkansas. He enjoyed a good visit with Maxine and the rest of the family, and then got home about bedtime Saturday night. Got the pump replaced Sunday afternoon, and now I have a fully automatic washing machine again! Hallelujah! After 2 years of babysitting my washer every time it drained (2-3 times a load), it is SO wonderful to just put on a load to wash and forget it!
I stayed pretty busy with CASA last week...and this week. I was given a new case last Monday. I went to see the kiddos and foster mom on Wednesday. It was an hour and 45 minute drive to get to the foster home, so it took up a good half-day. They were having a visit at CPS the next day which I wanted to observe, too. I've also been working on applying for crime victim's compensation for my baby. He and his sister will soon be leaving the state to live with a family member. She is low-income and will be responsible for paying for all the therapies that the two little ones will continue to need (until she gets them on Medicaid). This program will pay for the baby's physical, occupational and speech therapies that he will need to try to get him "caught up" in his development (we HOPE!). It will also help with childcare expenses that she incurs while she has to work. I met with the victim coordinator at the DA's office Monday, and she helped me get everything filled out. Hopefully by the time the children are moved, the benefits will already be approved and available.
Saturday, Sheila and I attended our monthly roundtable meeting for CASA. We had a program on human trafficking. It was very informative...and eye opening. It is such a tragedy that so many people have such little regard for others...that they will place vulnerable people into what amounts to modern day slavery. The program not only raised awareness of the problem, but it also taught how to look for and recognize those who might be trapped in those situations. It not only involves the sex trade (that is commonly talked about), but also the labor trade: placing people into bondage in agricultural jobs, domestic jobs or industrial jobs.
I feel almost like I'm back in the cake business for the next week! I am doing a cake today for the post office. One of the long-time clerks is retiring, and they are throwing her a party tomorrow. Then next Tuesday is my teenager's 16th birthday. I'm planning to make her a cake and take it to her. She really wanted to be able to have her parents be with her on her birthday, but I don't think CPS will allow that. So I wanted to make sure that I could be with her and help cheer her up a little. Then I'm doing a small wedding cake for next Saturday (small but complicated!). This is the most cakes that I've done in 10 day's time since I left the business.
Speaking of which...I guess I had better get to work! Hope all of you are surviving the harsh winter weather of this past week!
Heb 13:3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Restoration
What a wonderful Lord's Day! The sun was shining; the temperature was moderate; and our assembly was inspiring. AND Jim was back! First time he has been in our assembly in about 5 months. He came home from rehab on Wednesday. He still has to have more rehab at home...learning to use his new leg and start walking again. Every one's heart was full, seeing his smiling face with us again!
Heather was feeling better and able to make both assemblies. She recently was evaluated by a team of doctors in Houston who determined that her heart problems were caused by the lupus. They took her off all of her heart meds and are trying to decide what course of treatment she will need. She has been feeling SO bad for so long...it was nice to see her have a reprieve. A group of us went out to eat after the evening assembly and had a great visit. She started asking me about being a CASA and was interested in getting involved. I explained the PAL program to her and she is ready to get on board. (PALs are trained in confidentiality and assist a particular advocate.) I'm excited at the possibility of having her as my PAL!
The Highway church building is getting a much needed face lift. A couple of guys have been working on it for the past couple of weeks...and will probably continue for another 4 weeks. They are pretty much gutting the building and redoing it: new floors, new walls, new ceilings, new lighting.... We are pretty excited. The building is around 70 years old (?) and hasn't had a lot of work done on it over the years. Hopefully this will keep the bees out of the wall and the wasps out of our assemblies...and should help with moderating the temperature, too. (Old buildings are notorious for causing cold feet!) We assembled in the Brock Community Center yesterday and plan to this coming Lord's Day. We'll be looking at our options for the following weeks at that time. We had an assembly there the first week of construction, but all the dust and fumes caused asthma and allergy sufferers too much distress.
We are enjoying this extra day off today! Rick went to Alma over the weekend to visit all of his good friends for the first time since he moved back home. He surprised us by coming in last night...planning to use his day off to get caught up on some rest. It has been nice to sleep in and start out the day in a leisurely fashion. Dennis is on vacation this week. He is hoping (again!) to get my washing machine drain problem fixed. Every other time he has planned to work on it, something else has come up that was a higher priority. Maybe this time will actually work out. I have gotten used to having to babysit my washer while doing laundry, but it will be nice to be able to go about my business and not watch it like a hawk!
I hope all of you have a great week and enjoy the many blessings that have been given to you!
(There was a picture on the wall where we had our assembly of an eagle soaring over the mountains. It kept drawing my attention and reminding me of this verse.) Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Heather was feeling better and able to make both assemblies. She recently was evaluated by a team of doctors in Houston who determined that her heart problems were caused by the lupus. They took her off all of her heart meds and are trying to decide what course of treatment she will need. She has been feeling SO bad for so long...it was nice to see her have a reprieve. A group of us went out to eat after the evening assembly and had a great visit. She started asking me about being a CASA and was interested in getting involved. I explained the PAL program to her and she is ready to get on board. (PALs are trained in confidentiality and assist a particular advocate.) I'm excited at the possibility of having her as my PAL!
The Highway church building is getting a much needed face lift. A couple of guys have been working on it for the past couple of weeks...and will probably continue for another 4 weeks. They are pretty much gutting the building and redoing it: new floors, new walls, new ceilings, new lighting.... We are pretty excited. The building is around 70 years old (?) and hasn't had a lot of work done on it over the years. Hopefully this will keep the bees out of the wall and the wasps out of our assemblies...and should help with moderating the temperature, too. (Old buildings are notorious for causing cold feet!) We assembled in the Brock Community Center yesterday and plan to this coming Lord's Day. We'll be looking at our options for the following weeks at that time. We had an assembly there the first week of construction, but all the dust and fumes caused asthma and allergy sufferers too much distress.
We are enjoying this extra day off today! Rick went to Alma over the weekend to visit all of his good friends for the first time since he moved back home. He surprised us by coming in last night...planning to use his day off to get caught up on some rest. It has been nice to sleep in and start out the day in a leisurely fashion. Dennis is on vacation this week. He is hoping (again!) to get my washing machine drain problem fixed. Every other time he has planned to work on it, something else has come up that was a higher priority. Maybe this time will actually work out. I have gotten used to having to babysit my washer while doing laundry, but it will be nice to be able to go about my business and not watch it like a hawk!
I hope all of you have a great week and enjoy the many blessings that have been given to you!
(There was a picture on the wall where we had our assembly of an eagle soaring over the mountains. It kept drawing my attention and reminding me of this verse.) Isa 40:31 But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
I love sleeping in my bed!
Kind of funny...my last post was titled "health restored." Sometimes these infections like to hide out for a few days before they come back with a vengeance!
Dennis had gone back to his urologist on Thursday last week for his checkup. Everything looked fine! BUT the doctor did warn him that the infection could still come back. Friday night Dennis started feeling a little chilled, but nothing bad. He went to work Saturday morning and made it through the day. When he walked in the house around 5:00 that afternoon, tho, he looked like he had been hit by a truck! We took his temp, which was 101. So he put in a call to the doctor's office and was told to go to the ER and what to instruct them to do. We drove straight to Harris (downtown FW). It was such a different experience from last time at PPGH! Within an hour of arriving, they had done a urinalysis, drawn LOTS of blood for various tests and cultures, started an iv, and a doctor had already been in. We had to spend a few more hours in the ER before finally being taken up to a room, but the staff was very attentive to Dennis' needs.
We spent 4 nights in the hospital. They kept Dennis on 2 different iv antibiotics. We finally discovered that he had an E. coli infection that had gotten into his bloodstream (besides his urinary tract and prostate). It didn't turn out to be a resistant strain...they don't really know why the meds didn't work the first time around. I guess they just weren't strong enough to get it all. Hopefully after countless bags of iv meds and an upcoming 10 days of oral meds, it will finally all be gone! Dennis isn't in any discomfort any longer...just weak and tired. He should be able to return to work on Monday.
We had a very good experience with the nursing staff at Harris. The daytime nurse was the same one the whole time...Esther. I don't think I've ever seen an RN who was so attentive to her patients. We got to know her quite well during our stay. She is from Kenya. She was an excellent nurse and fun to visit and kid around with. There was a little difficulty in communicating...she still has a strong accent...but we managed. She has 3 adopted teenage daughters. They were refugees from Katrina, whose mother decided she couldn't (or wouldn't) care for them. They were featured on a tv news program designed to find homes for children, so Esther's family decided to take them in and adopt them...interesting story!
It really felt good to sleep in my bed last night. I'm very thankful that we had such a good hospital to go to for getting Dennis well; but I do not miss the loud beeping of the iv machine, the regular vital checks, the elderly patient across the hall who hollered for hours on end, or the hard and uncomfortable chair that I spent my nights in. So very thankful to be home!!!!!
Jer 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
Dennis had gone back to his urologist on Thursday last week for his checkup. Everything looked fine! BUT the doctor did warn him that the infection could still come back. Friday night Dennis started feeling a little chilled, but nothing bad. He went to work Saturday morning and made it through the day. When he walked in the house around 5:00 that afternoon, tho, he looked like he had been hit by a truck! We took his temp, which was 101. So he put in a call to the doctor's office and was told to go to the ER and what to instruct them to do. We drove straight to Harris (downtown FW). It was such a different experience from last time at PPGH! Within an hour of arriving, they had done a urinalysis, drawn LOTS of blood for various tests and cultures, started an iv, and a doctor had already been in. We had to spend a few more hours in the ER before finally being taken up to a room, but the staff was very attentive to Dennis' needs.
We spent 4 nights in the hospital. They kept Dennis on 2 different iv antibiotics. We finally discovered that he had an E. coli infection that had gotten into his bloodstream (besides his urinary tract and prostate). It didn't turn out to be a resistant strain...they don't really know why the meds didn't work the first time around. I guess they just weren't strong enough to get it all. Hopefully after countless bags of iv meds and an upcoming 10 days of oral meds, it will finally all be gone! Dennis isn't in any discomfort any longer...just weak and tired. He should be able to return to work on Monday.
We had a very good experience with the nursing staff at Harris. The daytime nurse was the same one the whole time...Esther. I don't think I've ever seen an RN who was so attentive to her patients. We got to know her quite well during our stay. She is from Kenya. She was an excellent nurse and fun to visit and kid around with. There was a little difficulty in communicating...she still has a strong accent...but we managed. She has 3 adopted teenage daughters. They were refugees from Katrina, whose mother decided she couldn't (or wouldn't) care for them. They were featured on a tv news program designed to find homes for children, so Esther's family decided to take them in and adopt them...interesting story!
It really felt good to sleep in my bed last night. I'm very thankful that we had such a good hospital to go to for getting Dennis well; but I do not miss the loud beeping of the iv machine, the regular vital checks, the elderly patient across the hall who hollered for hours on end, or the hard and uncomfortable chair that I spent my nights in. So very thankful to be home!!!!!
Jer 33:6 Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth.
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