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Gee summer seemed awfully short, just as I’m sure the winter will seem brutally long.  Can you tell how much I am anticipating transcripts?  Certainly more self discipline than what this free spirit is used to.

Okay, the problem on my blog seems to be resolved.  Blue Thistle Books is still down and the reason appears to be Sitemeter.  I don’t know the reason, but sites all over the internet are receiving the message, Internet Explorer cannot open this web page.  Operation aborted.

If this happens to you, find your Sitemeter code and remove it.  It looks like this:

 <!– Site Meter –>
<script type=”text/javascript” src=”http://s36.sitemeter.com/js/counter.js?site=yourIDhere”>
</script>
<noscript>
<a href=”http://s36.sitemeter.com/stats.asp?site=yourIDhere” target=”_top”>
<img src=”http://s36.sitemeter.com/meter.asp?site=yourIDhere” alt=”Site Meter” border=”0″/></a>
</noscript>
<!– Copyright (c)2006 Site Meter –>

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If you have been visiting here on occasion, you might know my mom just had the majority of her esophagus removed.  It was a  major surgery, especially for a woman of her age, but God brought her through and she was well on her way to a full recovery.

After the surgery, the surgeon felt it best to put her in sub-acute rehab for awhile, mostly for physical therapy.  During her stay, she very suddenly stopped eating.  Even though she has a J-Tube in place for tube feedings, the idea was to get her eating and transition her off the tube and onto full meals, but it wasn’t looking good.  She has not even been taking a teaspoon at each meal.

She never complained of pain; only that she had no appetite.  I realized fairly quickly that the facility was not following the doctor’s requests to give her very small meals throughout the day, in fact, they were rarely bringing her a snack at all.  When she was supposed to be eating a soft diet, they were giving her things like bagels.

On one particular occasion, her feeding tube fell out and she had to be taken to Yale to have it replaced.  On her way back to the facility she asked to eat - a huge surprise to us, but upon arriving back at the facility, they realized that the fitting for her tube was not in place, so not only did she not get a tube feeding, they also never gave her anything to eat by mouth.  Of course I didn’t know about this until the next day and I was not a happy camper.

These kinds of things have become regular occurrences over the last couple of weeks.  The stress has been incredible and my body has not been cooperating.  Over the last couple of days, I have had a real struggle to get off the couch.

I raised my concerns and my voice about this issue on several occasions, but to no avail.  It’s always someone else’s fault. 

So the facility called a meeting yesterday and told me my mom could come home - with the tube.  UGH.  Honestly, that was the last thing I expected, or planned for.  All the while I’m thinking, “God, haven’t I done my time with my mom?  Can’t you send her home without a tube?  I’m so tired.  There is just nothing left for me to give.”

Selfish I know.  But you have no idea how tired I am.

Anyway, I asked her what she would like to eat if she could have anything at all.  She wanted pizza.  So I planned to bring her pizza today and this afternoon I called to remind her what I was bringing for dinner.  She informed me that she asked them to take her lunch tray away because she was getting something better.

“Uh mom….I’m not coming until dinner.”

“That’s okay.  I’m not hungry anyway.”

As I walked into her room holding the hot pie, she looked really excited.  I think she even licked her lips a time or two, but I was still skeptical.

And then she very slowly ate TWO WHOLE PIECES!

And this grown woman almost cried…

Thank you Jesus!

I guess the food there just stinks.

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I wish I was more crafty.  I need to have some tricks up my sleeve.  Anyone have some easy toddler crafts they would like to share with a craft impaired mother?

365/163

365/159

Sorry about the Brady Bunch music title, but I just couldn’t help myself.

I know I haven’t written more than a line or two lately and commenting seems to be a thing of the past.  Honestly, I long to visit all of you, but change needs to come first. 

And change is a comin’.

Soon.

I just can’t tell you what or how, but trust me when I say it is.

I wish I could share more, but mum’s the word for now.

You’ll just have to be patient and enjoy the pictures from my yard.  I swear this big beetle was about to fall on me.  He was like an inch long.  I woulda freaked!

365/158

It was too hot to trek closer with three babies in tow, so this was the best I could do.

But what a beautiful sight!