Yellow Jackets of Doom

Several years ago, Van and I went to a Civil War site in Port Gibson, Mississippi (http://www.grandgulfpark.state.ms.us/).  In the cemetery portion of the park, I went into a small fenced in area to take a picture of what appeared to be a small child’s grave. A huge swarm of yellow jackets came at me…so I ran. I was a pretty good distance from the road. I was running as fast as I could, downhill… jumping over large tree roots, rocks, tombstones… in a desperate effort to escape being stung horribly. I finally made it to the road. When I jumped over the railing into the street, the yellow jackets gave up their chase and went back to their nest/hive. Only after I caught my breath and marveled at being able to escape the yellow jackets… I realized that the entire time I was running from the insects of doom… Van was yelling “Run, Kathleen, Run!!”

Mamatoo in the Hospital

My maternal grandmother passed away in March 1986.

My maternal grandmother was admitted to the hospital (military hospital at Keesler AFB in Biloxi) on February 14, 1986. My Mom stayed with Mamatoo the month she was in the hospital. Daddy drove me to Biloxi on the weekends to visit Mom and Mamatoo during this time.

On one of the visits, one of the doctors was in the waiting room explaining to us (I believe my aunt, uncle and cousins were there with Mom and Dad and myself) how much blood my grandmother had vomited up during the previous night (a large amount). One second I am listening to the doctor talk and the next, I am laying on the ground with everyone standing over me. The first thing I remember hearing was the doctor saying, "Just let her lay there, she will be OK in a few minutes".

Going in to see Mamatoo was very difficult. To see her laying there with all those tubes attached everywhere and the machines beeping. She had a tube going down her throat, so she couldn't talk. Her eyes looked so sad. Her hands were so swollen and puffy.

On one of the visits, Mom showed us the room she was staying in at the Base Guest House. It was really nice. She then took us on a tour of the base. A bowling alley, restaurants here and there, various parks. Everything was so nice and so clean!

On another visit, we all went to eat dinner at Shoney's. I thought it was really cool that there was a restaurant right on the beach. After we had finished dining, we went for a walk along the shore.

September 9, 2008

Today I had my follow-up with the Pulmonary Clinic. The results from the Venus Dopplar Ultrasound were good. I was told to return in six months for another x-ray of my lungs.

I woke with a headache this morning and it has lasted with me all day.  Also, I noticed that I am still stammering at times.. and at other times.. its hard for me to form words.

Also, my neck is still really stiff. Has been like this for over a week now. (Like a really bad crick in my neck al the time).   I am still really dizzy and light-headed at times. Just repetitious movement (like Kaylan tapping or mom patting on me makes me feel woozy). Nevermind windshield wipers, getting up too fast, bending over, turning my head too fast, etc).

After the doctors office,  Mom and I then dinner at Piccadilly in Cortana Mall. I had chicken fried steak and mom had fried catfish.

The cable guy is supposed to be here in the morning, to install Digital cable!!  yahayyyyy!!!!!    

I started reading the book "River Road"  by JoAnn Ross today. I think it will be a fairly interesting book.

October 11, 2002

October 11, 2002

Today the girls and Mom and I went to her old boss and picked up her last paycheck from him, then to the bank and cashed her check. The next stop was Citiplace Theaters and inquired about the Movie Tuck everlasting and Harry Potter. Tuck Everlasting is a limited release and is not playing anywhere in the Baton Rouge area, and they don't know when it will be playing. Harry Potter will come out November 15th.

We then went to Joe's crab shack and had lunch. I had the penne pasta with shrimp and lobster sauce, Kris had the crawfish ettuffe, kaylan had the child's plate  fish and chips and Mom had crab stuffed shrimp. For dessert we had the deluxe brownie, with brownies, m&ms, caramel and chocolate sauce, whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. It was really good.  We also had the bananas foster.. vanilla icecream folded in crepes with bananas and caramel and chocolate sauce drizzled over.

After eating, we went to TJMaxx and looked around, primarily for a bag for the back of Krissie's wheelchair. Didn't find a bag, but did find a few dresses I really like. I hope to go back when I have some more money. Oh and a nifty little book set. they only had 2 of the set, though, so I wrote it down, and will do a search to see if I can find the complete set.   A Series of Unfortunate Events written by Lemony Snicket.

We then went to Tinseltown theater and watched the movie Sweet Home Alabama. It was soo good! We laughed and cried and laughed some more. 

After the movie, we went to the Mall of Louisiana and watched the circus act. It was really good and each of the girls received an autographed poster of the high wire guy. He didn't even have a net underneath, and was the equivalent of 7 stories high.  After the circus acts.. Mom and Kris went down to Dillards and I took Kaylan to ride the merry-go-round.  We then sat on the sofa in the center court of the mall and waited for Mom and Kris to come back so that we could come home.

I have discovered that I am not yet ready for large groups of people. Having all those people about made me feel so sick to my stomach, and quite disoriented. It was NOT a fun experience. A few times I felt myself start to go into a daze and somehow managed to pull myself out of it. I am not sure what this means, but I don't want to alarm anyone.

Tomorrow Kaylan is to dance with her dance class at the St. Isidore Octoberfest. She doesnt have to be there until tomorrow afternoon, so in the morning, we will have school, since the girls skipped class today.

.

October 9, 2002

I went back to the hospital today for what I thought was going to be a neurologist appointment, and instead saw family physician, a female doctor. She seemed to know exactly what she was talking about. Said my headaches and stiff neck are probably from stress .. worrying about what is wrong with me. I was sent for blood work, a full work-up, and a catscan of my head with dye contrast. Was able to get all of that completed today, so I wont have to return until my next appointment on October 16. She did say that I will have an EEG done as well, and that will be sometime in November, I don't know the exact date yet.  The doctor also said that it is illegal to drive in the State of Louisiana for 6 months after having a seizure. So I have 6 months from August 25th, which will be February 25, 2003.  Kaylan's Birthday!

Mom and I went by her old bosses busines today, and he said to come back on Friday and he will have the remainder of the balance he owes her then. 

 I am so proud of the girls. When we got home, they were both so busy sitting at their desks doing their schoolwork.

Because of the rain, the girls did not go to their Youth Group activities at church tonight.

I talked on the phone with an old friend for quite some time tonight. We had a nice conversation, and it was nice to catch up with each other again! 

August 22, 2002

The girls and I went to Hattiesburg, Mississsippi for the day. We left around 6:30 am, and arrived around 9:30 am. We stopped at the Hardy's in Columbia and had breakfast. I then went in the Wal-mart to buy film so that I would be able to take pictures during the visit.

Amanda (Susan) Uncle Sam and I went up to Forrest General Hospital to see Uncle Shorty. He thought I was Lila (Mamatoo). Uncle Sam told him no, that I was Audrey's daughter. Uncle Shorty then said that I looked just like Lila.

We went and picked up Shari on the way back to the house. The girls and Shari really enjoyed their visit.

Aunt Alice showed Kris how to knit.  Kris was really tickled about that.

Around 3pm we left to meet Jim and Sheri at Hardy's for dinner. We sat and visited for about an hour and a half, then headed for home. I drove to just south of McComb, then got on the interstate (I-55 south) and stayed on interstate until the exit that took us to Clinton, LA. We arrived home around 9pm.

May 8, 2005

May 8, 2005 Sunday

Today is Mother’s Day.  We took my Mom to D’John’s in St. Francisville, Louisiana for Mother’s Day lunch. 

We then drove to Hemingbough, parked the van and walked around the property. What a beautiful place!!  Krissie wants to go back there with a drawing pad and pencils, so that she can make some sketches.  After walking around for about an hour, we came back to my house and had birthday cake.  In celebration of the day we all exchanged cards and gifts. 

September 6, 2008

2008 09 06 Saturday

I woke around 9 this morning. I am SO HAPPY to have electricity. I got cold in the night… and had to cover up with a blanket. What a lovely change from the hot evenings with no electricity!!

After lunch, we braved the Zachary Winn Dixie. I guess we did ok... 2 gallons of milk, 2 bunches of bananas, a pint of whipping cream (Kaylan’s request so that she could make a fettuccine dish), and a gallon of Orange Juice. $24.00   We were in the store for a total of 25 minutes.

August 30, 2008

Saturday before Hurricane Gustav

The LSU game was held this morning at 10am, instead of 4pm, to give the football teams and the fans a chance to see the game before preparing for the hurricane.

The weather today was absolutely gorgeous! Robin’s egg blue skies, white fluffy clouds… not too hot or humid…  To look at the beautiful weather, it was somewhat hard to believe the terrible storm brewing just a few hundred miles to the south.

We ran a few errands in town, checking the post office box and turning in a ‘mail hold’ card for until Oct 1 (until we know what the weather will do…. Don’t want the hurricanes to blow our mail away). We then went to the Big Easy Po-Boy Sandwich Shop in Zachary, I ordered the catfish poboy (YUM) and Van had a hamburger on a poboy bun.

Stopped at the Dollar General store, purchased some masking tape (for taping of windows) , and a few candles. I brought my mother some masking tape,  a set of candle and some Peanut Butter cups, telling her it  was her ‘Hurricane Goody Bag.”

Stopped by the cemetery to say hello to Kerri, a classmate of mine as a high-school student, then walked around the cemetery for a bit, and the mausoleum.

The roads were so crowded today!  The gas stations had lines 4 cars long and the police were out in full force.

At Winn-Dixie, the employees were removing all the frozen, dairy and meats from the display cases to large boxes. Either they were sending the merchandise back to headquarters (for the duration of the storm and after-effects) or they were moving all perishables to the freezer in the back of the store.

They had a fair supply of water, but were still out of bread, spaghetti’s, tuna, crackers and other ‘instant meal in a can’ products. As I passed the Wal-marts in both Baker and Zachary, their parking lots were full, all the way to the street on all sides. I shudder to think what pandemonium was going on INSIDE the stores!

On the news today, the Governor, Bobby Jindal, announced that East Baton Rouge Parish was NOT evacuating, and that East Baton Rouge Parish was NOT an evacuation site.

I honestly think the girls and I will be just fine, staying HOME for this storm, and have no plans for evacuation. If something changes and we do decided to evacuate, we will head north, most likely to my dad’s home. 

August 8, 2008

When I woke this morning, I heard Krissie yelling for help. For the first time that I can remember, she couldn’t turn herself over! She said the covers were pinning her down, preventing her from turning over, and also were so close to her face that she was having difficulty breathing.

Kaylan and I turned her back over and she now seems to be ok (not long after it happened). 

April 28, 2008

8:30 am

I will be taking Kaylan to Dr. Santos (pediatrician) at 10 this morning. Kaylan’s breasts have what looks like stretch marks on her breasts, only they are red with ridges. Her nipples also do not look normal. I am hoping there is nothing seriously wrong, but am so worried about my sweet little Kaylan. She is too good to have something as terrible as Breast Cancer, or any other disease.

Dr. Santos said that Kaylan does NOT have breast cancer, that she only has stretch marks on her breasts. 

January 11, 2008

This morning, while putting in my contact lenses (for vision) I dropped one of the contacts. I look and felt all around the sink, floor, sides of wash basin, sorted wash cloths between sink and toilet and then looked with flash light over everything again.. After several minutes of this, with no success… I felt the urge to pray for assistance. I then closed my eyes and prayed, “Dear God, please help me to find this contact lens. Thank You”. I then opened my eyes and again took the flashlight and started to look around. The first place I aimed the flashlight was the washcloth pile on the floor that I had just looked through. The contact lens was lying right on top, in plain sight! I thanked Heavenly Father, rinsed the contact and put it successfully in my eye.

This occurrence was such a comfort to me, reaffirming to me that Heavenly Father is there for me, no matter how minor the need, HE is always there for me.

I went to physical therapy, spending 30 minutes with the TENS unit and moist heat, another 15 minutes in traction (spine stretching) and the last 15 minutes doing stretching and the recumbent bike for 8 minutes.

After therapy, I went to check the Post Office Box. I then drove to Sonic Drive-In and used a coupon for ‘Buy one Burger, Get One Free”. I ate my burger at the Cemetery while visiting with Kerri (her grave) and brought the other burger to Kaylan.

Driving home from the Cemetery in Baker, I was looking East, waiting at the traffic light to turn left from Groom to Plank Road, and up in the sky was a bright white light. At first I thought it was a jet stream, but after watching it for several seconds, I realized there was no tail… and that the white stream/ light stayed the same shape. After moving rapidly for several minutes, the light stopped and stayed what appeared to be ‘in one spot’ in the sky. As I was driving home, I was unable to see this unusual sight, due to excess trees blocking my sight of it.

I have been wearing compression stockings today. I put them on shortly after my shower upon returning home from this morning’s outing.

The girls and I ordered Chinese Delivery Tonight for our dinner, with the condition that Kaylan would clean and tidy the kitchen and living area. After eating, she hadn’t got much done, and the Chinese food was still on the table when she claimed that she got a ‘very spooky feeling’ and didn’t feel safe. So she didn’t clean, and came to lie on my bed. She has reassured me that once the feeling is gone, she will go finish cleaning. (10:21 pm).

October 21, 2007

October 21, 2007

Sunday

The girls and I woke around 11 am. We had just decided that we would go to the ‘Boo at the Zoo’ and were in the process of getting dressed when my mother called. Krissie answered the phone and spoke with her, and informed me that Grandma needs to go to the Emergency Room.  We told her we were on the way and would be there in a few minutes. The girls and I then finished getting dressed, and left for Grandma’s house.

At Lane Memorial Hospital in Zachary, Mom checked in with the Triage Nurse, and then we waited in the Waiting area for a little while. The movie ‘Hocus Pocus’ was playing on the television, although the color in the picture was off, and all the characters had greenish faces.

Mom was finally called back to be seen by the ER physician. She described her symptoms (swelling of her left leg and pain in her behind, where the shot was given to her on the previous visit) to the doctor and he ordered an ultrasound, to rule out blood clots in her left leg.

The doctor initially said that he thought it was sciatica (degenerative disc disease)

October 17, 2007

Entry for Wednesday October 17, 2007

The past several days have been quite busy.

Sunday we celebrated the birthday of a close family friend. Kaylan made Red Velvet Cake. The girls decorated the dining area with streamers. Dinner was at a local Chinese Restaurant, The Asian Pearl. We picked up Ice Cream on the way home. If you haven’t tried Blue Bell’s Anniversary Cake Ice Cream, you should. It is delicious!! Almond flavored Ice Cream, bits of white cake, ribbons of Cream Cheese Icing. Delicious!!

Monday (October 15, 2007) evening was spent at the Emergency Room with my mother. Her back was giving her so much pain, that she couldn’t sit or lay down without pain.

She went to work on Monday, and climbing the stairs to the office where she works, sitting in the Office chairs and then climbing back down those stairs is what she said triggered the Intense Pain. Also, she told me that while getting into her car, the seat was in the ‘recline’ position (my brother does that as he is really tall). Anyway, she didn’t notice the seat in this position and when she sat, she fell back, and felt her back ‘pop’.

 After a series of x-rays and scans, the doctor informed her that she has severe arthritis in her spine.  Mom was given a shot of Torodol and Rx for pain medication. Also, the doctor told Mom that she had quite a bit of stool left in her intestines, and she needed to have a good bowel movement. He gave her a suppository (duculox) and told to eat more fiber, and more fruits and to consume more liquids.  After leaving the hospital, Mom wanted to go to Wal-Mart (they are open 24 hours) to purchase a heating pad and some pillows (for positioning). After taking Mom home and getting her settled in, the girls and I arrived home around 5:30am. We slept until 2:30, when the ringing phone woke me.

The phone call was the PCA (patient care representative) from Children’s Hospital, calling to inform Krissie that a good friend of hers from Muscular Dystrophy Camp was in the hospital and had undergone surgery for a trach and a vent. Krissie called Megan and Jaclyn to inform them of the news, as they were good friends with his friends. 

Last weeks of Pregnancy - Home with Mom

On a rainy day, sometime in early November, I slipped on the steps going into the trailer and landed HARD on the baby belly. I called my Mom and she came as fast as she could. (Sorrento is about a 1-1/2 hour drive). Mom drove me to the hospital in Baton Rouge and the doctor examined me. He explained that the fetus is so well protected in the amniotic sac that it would take a lot to harm the baby, and that the baby was fine. However, he was concerned about me being so far out in the country and so far way from the hospital this late in the pregnancy. He strongly advised that I consider staying with my parents closer to the hospital the remainder of the pregnancy. Mom drove me back to Sorrento and we were there gathering up a few things for me to return home with her when Mike came home. He was so excited because he had just been hired as a Deputy for the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office. He looked so cute standing there beside his truck with the hat on his head and the gun belt looped around his shoulder, holding the uniforms in his arms. I felt horrible, having to tell him what the doctor had suggested, and that I was going to go home with Mom until the Baby was born. Mike helped me gather up my things and carried them to the car for me. He was good about coming to see me, my parents and his parents on his days off. At this point, there was just a few weeks left in the pregnancy. 

Moving back home with Mom and Dad after having been out on my own was so familiar and so much like a dream! Mom absolutely loved having me there and being able to see my belly grow on a daily basis. She loved feeling the baby kick and watch the baby's movements under my skin. She once commented that when she had the big baby belly, that she often used it as a table to place her plate on while she was eating. Mom decided that it was unsafe for me to drive (my belly was really HUGE) and that she should drive me everywhere that I needed to go for the duration of the pregnancy. Who can say no to Mom? She drove me to the remaining doctors appointments (these were weekly and then twice-weekly) until Kris was born. On one of the visits to the Obstetrician, he was concerned about Toxemia and told me to try and avoid all salt. So Mom (being the awesome Mom that she was) started purchasing only fresh fruits and vegetables. She seemed to have so much fun cooking for me and the growing baby.  Slowly, the large amounts of fluid lessened (making my belly seem even larger). During one of Mike's visits, he and I went to the mall... I remember him joking that if he went over the speed bumps that it might make the labor start sooner... 

On one of the outings with Mom and Dad, we ended up at the Jack In the Box out near where the Mall of Louisiana is now. They had a ‘50s’ event going on and whoever would ‘do the twist’ received a free order of French Fries. Mom and Daddy both ‘did the twist’. They all then looked at me and told me it was my turn. Try to visualize a pregnant lady… thin everywhere except the belly... and that belly is ginormous. Now visualize that pregnant lady… attempting to do the twist. I went to twist one way and my belly twisted the other… I didn’t realize I had an audience until the entire restaurant applauded me. Mom and Dad laughed so hard and not long before Mom died… she brought it up again... how funny it was to see me trying to do the twist with that huge belly.

During the afternoon on Christmas Eve 1989, Mom and Ricky took me to Cortana Mall in Baton Rouge for Christmas Eve Shopping. Just after Mom parked the car and we had all gotten out, there was a very loud "BOOM". I could feel the ground shake underneath my feet, and had to lean against the car so that I wouldn't fall. We later learned that there had been an explosion at the Chemical plant.

Trailer in a Cow Pasture in Sorrento, Louisiana

Oct-Nov 1989

I loved living next door to Mike's grandparents, MawMaw and PawPaw. Everyday, PawPaw Johnnie would ride his 4-wheeler up to the road to check the mail, then bring me what mail was mine and Mikes. Afternoons were spent visiting with his grandparents and watching various game shows and westerns. As it was fall.. Mike and I spent quite a bit of time gathering pecans while enjoying the cool fall air. The trailer had a washing machine.. but no dryer. So on wash days, I would carry my clean wet laundry over to the grandparents'  and use their clothesline. On the weekends, when we didn't go home to visit our parents, Mike and I rode his 3-wheeler around the property and sometimes over to the river to see the water. 


One of the outings with PawPaw Johnnie was a trip to French Settlement, LA where we visited with some of the family. I had never been to this community and remember being a bit fascinated that the only way in or out was by way of one tiny bridge. 


On a rainy day, sometime in early November, I slipped on the steps going into the trailer and landed HARD on the baby belly. I called my Mom and she came as fast as she could. (Sorrento is about a 1-1/2 hour drive). Mom drove me to the hospital in Baton Rouge and the doctor examined me. He explained that the fetus is so well protected in the amniotic sac that it would take a lot to harm the baby, and that the baby was fine. However, he was concerned about me being so far out in the country and so far way from the hospital this late in the pregnancy. He strongly advised that I consider staying with my parents closer to the hospital the remainder of the pregnancy. Mom drove me back to Sorrento and we were there gathering up a few things for me to return home with her when Mike came home. He was so excited because he had just been hired as a Deputy for the Ascension Parish Sheriff's Office. He looked so cute standing there beside his truck with the hat on his head and the gun belt looped around his shoulder, holding the uniforms in his arms. I felt horrible, having to tell him what the doctor had suggested, and that I was going to go home with Mom until the Baby was born. Mike helped me gather up my things and carried them to the car for me. He was good about coming to see me, my parents and his parents on his days off. At this point, there was just a few weeks left in the pregnancy. 

Efficiency Apartment in Baton Rouge

Our first home lasted about a month... then the nice lady that we rented from passed away and the house went to her granddaughter. 

In July 1989, we moved to an Efficiency Apartment on the corner of Airline Hwy and Greenwell Springs Road in Baton Rouge. A Studio Apartment. One big room... with a tiny kitchenette. July in south Louisiana is HOT. Thankfully, I was able to cool off in the apartment swimming pool. The first few weeks we lived there, I would drive to Mom's house to use her washing machine and dryer and visit with her instead of using the laundromat at the apartment. My car had no AC.. didn't come with AC.. and it was just too hot to keep driving in that heat while getting increasingly larger in the belly. The first time I used the laundromat, the nice Mexicans who lived a few doors down 'adopted' me. If they saw me with basket of laundry, they would take it from me and empty the clothes into the washer, then the dryer and then even fold the clothes for me! Then they would carry the clothes back to the apartment.  Occasionally, they would knock at the door with various 'Mexican' treats for me to consume and pat the growing baby belly. The resident manager, his wife, and young daughter also adopted me. Several days a week, they would invite me up to their apartment to have lunch, sit and visit, or watch television. At some point during our stay at the efficiency apartments, Mike and I moved from the Studio Apartment to a One-Bedroom Apartment. 

I don't remember how long was at one or the other, the apartments were just 2 doors down from each other. One interesting neighbor I had was Price Leblanc. Boy was he a character!  In the evenings, he was often out cooking on the grill. A little group of us would eat the evening meal together and then sit by the pool and visit. 

Mike was rarely there for all this. He was working part of the time, and the majority of the rest of his time was spent 'doing his own thing' be it hunting, fishing or 'playing cops and robbers' as I called it back then. (He desperately wanted to be a police officer and insisted on volunteering as a Reserve Police Officer as often as he could, thinking that this was his 'way in'. Funny.. that particular department never hired him.  

Another neighbor was this really neat (American) Indian Lady. She had all these pretty dream catchers hanging around her apartment and colorful wind chimes outside her window. She was really into arts and crafts and occasionally we would have a 'crafting session' while we visited. 

For some reason I still don't fully understand and most likely never will.. Mike and his parents absolutely hated the idea of the Efficiency Apartments. So Mike's parents purchased a VERY used trailer and had it moved to a cow pasture located off of LA 22 in Sorrento. After weeks of cleaning this trailer (the person they purchased it from was not a very clean person, and they smoked a LOT, so it stunk to high heaven), Mike and I moved from Baton Rouge to Sorrento. I think this was sometime in October. 

Places I lived while Pregnant with Krissie

June - November 1989

During my pregnancy with Krissie, we moved several times. Our first home was a quaint little 2 bedroom house on Sunshine Street in Baker, Louisiana. We were able to stay here for about a month. After the nice elderly lady (I think her last name was Westmoreland... it started with a W) that we were renting from passed away, her granddaughter came banging on the windows in the middle of the night, telling us that the old lady was dead and that the house was now hers and that we had to leave immediately. I remember thinking how horribly rude this person was... and disrespectful to her grandmother. 

Efficiency Apartment in Baton Rouge (see separate post)

Sorrento, Louisiana (see separate post)

Back home with Mom and Dad (see separate post)

Ectopic Pregnancy

Spring 1998

For days I had felt a 'twinge' in the right side of my abdomen. It was nothing more than a twinge... and I had so many things to do, I didn't have time to be sick. As time went on, the twinge continued to worsen.. just a tiny bit at a time... until finally all I could do was curl up in a ball and try to ignore the pain. The only place where I was even the tiniest bit comfortable was in the old green lazy boy recliner that had belonged to my paternal grandfather. The chair reclined all the way back, and I in curled into a tiny ball in the seat

When Billy realized that there was something really wrong, he knelt beside me and said the sweetest prayer. He then called my Mom and asked her to please come sit with the girls so that he could take me to the Emergency Room at Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge. 

In the Emergency Room, while answering the doctor's questions, I realized other symptoms that I had been having and didn't notice because of the twinge and the busyness of day-to-day life. Yes... I had a pain in my shoulders and neck. Yes, the pain in my abdomen was like the doctor described. After the consultation, the ER doctor ordered some tests and said he would be back soon. 

After the tests were completed, the doctor informed us that I was pregnant! He was concerned about the symptoms that I had, so he wanted to do a 'minor procedure' to learn the condition of the fetus. We agreed to the 'minor procedure' and a soon after I was being wheeled into the operating room. 

When I awoke several hours later, the doctor came in and explained to me that the 'fetus' was in the upper portion of my right Fallopian tube and that there was no way for the pregnancy to have been carried to term. While I was on the operating table, Billy gave the doctor permission to end the pregnancy. The doctor explained to me that he was very careful to 'milk the baby' down the tube  and extracted it through a tiny incision. The scarring would be minimal. Yes, I would be able to have more children. I asked the doctor how far along I was into this pregnancy. 8 weeks!  The 'fetus' was actually a baby! She had a heartbeat!

The physical scarring was minimal... the emotional scarring I still carry with me. A mother never completely heals from the loss of a child.

While my rational mind told me that the best decision had been made... The doctor said that it was either save me or let both mother and child die.  I felt like the baby had sacrificed her life so that I could live. I struggled with this for a very long time, still do at times. 

This hospital stay lasted for several days...  the doctors were not happy with my blood counts. My red and white cells needed to be up before I could be discharged. 

During this hospital stay, Mom brought the girls to see me. On one of their visits, when I woke they were there with me. Kaylan was in the bed curled up against me like a little teddy bear. Krissie was sitting right beside me, holding my hand. Mom was on the other side of me, watching one of her soap operas. I heard Krissie say... "Mommy is awake, Grandma!"  Mom then looked over at me and smiled her sweet sweet smile and said that the girls had picked out a get well gift for me in the gift shop. She then brought it to me. An adorable little basket made entirely of peppermint.. like a candy cane only it was a basket! Inside this basket was a heaping mound of Andes Mint Chocolates. The basket was wrapped up in cellophane and tied at the top with curly ribbons. 

Gallbladder Gone Rogue

November 2009 - Thanksgiving Day (Thursday)

I had been feeling unwell for such a long time. I couldn't remember the last time that I did truly feel good. I had no appetite and when I tried to eat I became violently ill. After barely picking at our Thanksgiving Dinner, Van, the girls and I set out to watch the movie "Angels and Demons". We are in the room where I sleep, so that I can lay down as I am not feeling well. The duration of the movie I am continuously adjusting my position. I feel as if I am dying.  I want my Mom. I want her to tell me what to do to feel better.  I assume that my condition is nothing more than Gas... I don't want to go to the hospital. Finally Van tells me that I have to go.. no choice. I tell the girls that I'll see them in a few hours, that this is a huge waste of time. I had no idea that I wouldn't see them again for an entire week.

At the Emergency Room, after an examination, I am given an IV for pain medication. This makes me sleep. Ah, welcome blessed sleep! How I had missed it! I vaguely remember the doctors and other staff attending to me over the next few days. Thankfully, Van was there. He watched over me and the girls. Our fierce protector.  I was blissfully unaware.  I was in a different world of sleep and no care and no worries. He told the doctors all that had been going on with me. All the pain and suffering I had endured. He kept tabs on the girls, made sure they knew what was going on with their Mom. Made sure they were OK.

On Sunday, a surgery was performed to remove my gall bladder. Gall stones I didn't have. My gall bladder just went bad. The surgeon later told me that where a normal healthy gall bladder is a pretty shade of robin's egg blue.. mine was porcelain white. If I hadn't come when I did... my situation would have continuously worsened. It was either remove gall bladder or leave the land of the living.

I do remember going into the Surgery.. just snippets. I didn't pray for the surgery.. I prayed for a visit with my Mom! The attendants were all so nice. They put the mask over my face and told me to count backwards and the next thing I remembered was waking up in the hospital room that would be 'home' for the next several days.

I was recovering from removal of the gall bladder. I was missing my Mother terribly. The nurses kept the medications coming.. I slept the majority of the remaining time I spent in the hospital.

My blood counts were terribly low, so the doctors, being good concerned doctors.. saw fit to order a blood transfusion. My body.. does not like 'alien blood'.  My heart rate plummeted... I was later told they nearly lost me then too. No more blood transfusions for me!  On Thursday, the week after Thanksgiving, I was allowed to return home. I was cautioned to watch my blood levels.. (white and red cell counts stay terribly low). I was cautioned to avoid future blood transfusions.

I was so happy to see my girls again!

Krissie says "I'm Over Here"

On one of our many visits to the Neuromuscular Clinic at Children's Hospital in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Krissie is on the bed, being examined by a host of med students and resident doctors. There is literally a wall of people around her, obstructing any view of the examination table.

Kaylan has her fair share of med students and resident doctors examining her in the open area of the room.

The orthopedist surgeon enters the room. He quickly looks around and sees only Kaylan. He then starts to tell me how sorry he is for my loss and before he can get any further than those words.. a very small voice speaks up... "I'm over here, Doc!"

The room goes so quiet one could hear a pin drop...

Lafayette Hotel

December 2001

Krissie and Kaylan and I decided we want to see for ourselves whether or not the Lafayette Hotel is really haunted. So we drive over to to the hotel and set out to see what we could. We received permission from the Front Desk Clerk to go to the floor that was claimed to be haunted. About halfway up the hall (going in the direction towards the river) Kris and I both received goosebumps and the creepiest feeling up and down our spines. As we continued further up the hall.. the feeling subsided. We looked out the window and admired the view of the rivers (the Ohio and Muskingham Rivers flow together right outside the Lafayette Hotel). After a few minutes, we head back to the elevators. About half way up the hall, we again felt those goosebumps and that creepy feeling. Looking around, we realized this was the same area as in the previous creepy feeling. A few doors closer to the elevator and one of the maids greets us in the hall. She allows us to go into the 'haunted room' and look around. It looks and feels like any other hotel room. We make our way back to the elevators and then leave the hotel. 

Little Toot Toot

My dad has a fitting nickname for my youngest child. He has called her 'Toot Toot' almost from the beginning.

In my eighth month of pregnancy with her, I had what I thought were labor pains, so of course I discussed this with my obstetrician. After an examination, he assured me that I was not in labor and that I was not having Braxton Hicks contractions. He told me that what was causing my discomfort was that my child had gas. For the next month, I avoided anything that I thought  would have even the slightest chance of causing baby to have more gas.

After she was born, as she was a 'breast baby', I continued to be careful with what foods I consumed. This worked well until she was ready for solid food.

How such a sweet precious little girl could make such horrible scary noises is beyond me. To this day (she is now 18), she is one of the gassiest people I have ever met. Heaven forbid she eats beans or cabbage or eggs or anything.   I have often said that she inhales oxygen and exhales toxic fumes.

Kaylan's Arrival

Around 10:30pm on February 24, 1993 I was awakened by a sharp pain in my abdomen. I went and drank some water and then tried to lay back down. Just as I was falling back to sleep, I felt another sharp pain. I tried to go back to sleep and couldn't. Finally, just after 1am, these pains were on such a regular basis, I thought "Oh heck, I must be in labor!" I then phoned the obstetrician's office, and left a message with the answering service. A short while later, they returned my call and told me to get to the hospital as soon as possible. I called my Mom so that she could come stay with Krissie who was just 3 at the time. Mom soon arrived, and  Mike then drove me to the hospital. I was admitted immediately and though I felt a few contractions, I was given anesthesia soon and the pain soon subsided. Kaylan joined us at 8:40am on February 25, 1993.

My Mom brought Krissie around lunch time to meet her baby sister. I remember Mom pushing Krissie's Umbrella stroller into the hospital room. Krissie was holding a McDonald's bag with food for her Daddy. She had the biggest smile on her face and was waving her cute little 'princess wave'. 

Kaylan's Guardian Angel

Summer 1998

Billy and I had taken the girls to the Mississippi Coast. We were staying at one of the small hotels across the street from the beach. We were at the swimming pool with the girls. Billy had placed Kaylan on the pavement on the side of the pool so that he and I could trade off on holding Krissie. In the tiny moment that we were not watching Kaylan, she jumped into the pool. When I looked over, I saw a man standing there reaching into the water to grab hold of Kaylan. He just appeared out of nowhere. He handed Kaylan to me and walked away. We looked for him later, but he was nowhere to be found.

Record Players, Roller Skates and Bicycles

In the late 1970s, my friends and I loved listening to Shaun Cassidy, Blondie, Kool & the Gang and a few other groups that I don't recall just now. We would get the record player (yes those black vinyl round things actually played music) and play such songs as Celebration, Da Do Run Run and The Tide is High over and over and over and over. While listening to these songs (and others) we would either ride our bicycles around the front yard in circles or skate (yes roller skate - those 4 wheeled shoe thingies) up and down the driveway.

Back then, we didn't have such a thing as Video Games or computer games. We had to find a way to entertain ourselves.

The Trampoline

This event occurred in January 1986.

I was at a sleepover for the young ladies in my church. Some of use were outside on the trampoline. I was sitting 'Indian Style' on the side of the trampoline with another girl. Someone bounced a bit too close to where we were sitting and I was bounced off and landed on my head. Big pain. My mother was called and she brought me to the Emergency Room to be checked. The doctor examined my neck and ordered x-rays.

Mom and I were told how lucky I was. The way I landed, the 'smidgen' between the nerves was the one that was affected.  He said a fraction of an inch either way and I would have either been paralyzed from the neck down or killed instantly.

I was forbidden to even look at another trampoline.

Broken Arm

This event occurred sometime in May, the last 2-3 weeks before school ended for Summer Vacation the year I was in Third Grade. ( I think this was 1978).

At recess some friends and I are having a race to see who can reach the brick wall along the back of the Elementary Building first. As I approached the wall, I tripped. I flew into the wall. Putting out my left arm as a defense, I heard a loud crack. Then felt this horrible burning pain. I looked down to see one of my bones protruding out from my left arm. The teacher sent someone to the office for an inflatable cast. I cannot stop crying. Somehow, they manage to put my arm into the cast and I am taken to the Principal's office where the Secretary calls my mother.

Mom arrives and takes me to the Emergency Room, where x-rays are taken. My arm needs to be 'set'. Mom is standing there trying to comfort me while the doctor proceeds to set my arm. Mom glances over to see what the doctor is doing and sees him jam the bone back into my arm. She passes out and the nurses rush to help her.  She assures them that she is fine. That she hadn't eaten lunch yet and that seeing my arm in its present condition on an empty stomach was a bit too much for her.

I have to wear a plaster cast for the entire summer. No swimming, no water slides, no playing in the water at the beach. The cast came off just before the next school year started.

Note: Mom always said that she and Mommatoo had planned to go out to lunch and were in fact just about to leave the house to go eat when the school called with my 'little emergency'.

Best Christmas Present Ever

December 25, 1989

I awoke feeling that something didn't feel right. I wasn't in pain. Actually I felt as good as anyone who is 9 months pregnant is going to feel. Mike and I had spent the night at my Mom and Dad's house. Today was Christmas! When I informed Mike that something was off, he called my Mom into my bedroom. She and I spoke for a few minutes and finally she called the obstetrician's office and left a message with the answering service. A short while later, they returned the call and suggested that I have someone drive me up to Woman's Hospital in Baton Rouge so that I could be checked. 

Mike was very displeased and said that he wasn't going to 'waste his Christmas' sitting in a hospital on a false alarm. He then got into his vehicle and went over to his parent's house to celebrate Christmas with them. My mom and I then got dressed and she drove me to the hospital. After the doctor was finished with the examination, he told me that my mom was right by bringing me in, as I was in labor. I was too far dilated to be allowed to go home, and was then assigned a room. My mom then called my Dad and told him of our little Christmas present that would be arriving in a few hours. Daddy called over to Mike's parent's house and spoke with Mike and asked him if he was proud of himself for acting like a spoiled brat.  (I loved this). 

I never did experience labor pains. Not long after I was admitted, the anesthesiologist came and started me on the medications needed. At 4:59 pm Krissie came into the world. When the nurses tried to put her into the Christmas stocking for the first viewing by the family, she spread her little legs out and fought them! It was as if she was telling them.. I just came out of a small area.. no way are you putting me into another one!

Lightening Storm

When I was a young lady (early teens), my Daddy and I drove from Baton Rouge, LA to Marietta, Ohio to visit my paternal grandparents. I believe this visit was in the Summer.. it may have been Spring Break. What I do remember is we had left the interstate and was going by way of primarily country 'back roads'.  This trip was the first time I ever saw a lightening storm.. no thunder and no rain.. just lightening. Daddy pulled over on the side of the road, and we just sat and watched the beautiful show that God created for what seemed like just the two of us. Eventually the storm moved on and we continued on our way.

Later this same trip, possibly even the same day, Daddy and I were looking for a place to have our dinner. After driving for what seemed like forever (both of our bladders were quite full as well), we finally came across a Hamburger Restaurant adjacent to a cow pasture. We ordered our meal and went to find a table. It seemed like it took ages for the workers to prepare the meal. Daddy and I joked that they must have went to harvest fresh meat from the cows in the pasture right outside.

Driving in a Hurricane

Labor Day weekend of 1985 my mother and I were visiting Mamatoo (my maternal grandmother) in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. We had such a lovely visit, watching various tv programs, including the Jerry Lewis Telethon, Fantasy Island and The Love Boat (to name a few). We also went down to the Mississippi Coast and had lunch at Morrison's Cafeteria (Mamatoo loved going there) followed by shopping in the mall. Little did I know that this would be my last real visit with my grandmother, as she passed on in the spring of 1986.

The night before we were set to return home to Baton Rouge, we were all watching the weather. There was a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico!  Of course, I tried to convince Mom that we shouldn't drive in that weather, and should stay with Mamatoo until all the bad rain and wind had passed. She wouldn't hear it, and early the next morning we loaded up the Huge Gray Van (this was a really big van from the 80s) and headed for home. My last memory of Mamatoo (before she went into the hospital) was of her standing in the kitchen doorway with the screen door ajar.. waving a white checkered dish cloth as we backed out of the driveway.

The drive home was interesting, to put it mildly. We fared well until we neared Columbia, Mississippi. That was when it got so dark.. and the wind was blowing so hard Mom had a really difficult time keeping the van on the road. I can still see her, hugging the steering wheel.. so focused on the road. I tried to convince her to turn around and go back.. at least to Lake Serene, where my Aunt and Uncle lived, but she had made up her mind that we were going home. Garbage cans and small pine trees and various other shrubbery had control of the road and Mom just kept plugging through. When we got to McComb, we stopped for a small break before continuing on. Finally we made it home. What normally took three hours to drive took nearly all day.

ER Waiting Room Late at Night

October 2007, my mother had a sharp pain in her side just below her ribs on her right side, so I drove her to the Emergency Room. My mom was one of 'those people' who never got sick, and when she did manage to find herself ill,she very rarely agreed to seek medical attention. My brother Ricky, Krissie (my oldest child), and I took turns sitting in the little curtained off area with mom while the other of us sat in the waiting room with Kaylan (my youngest child). The ER physician ordered so many tests, to try and determine the cause of Mom's unbearable pain. Of course, this took all night (yes all night, we did not leave until just before daylight the next day). Mom had such a difficult time getting onto the x-ray table, and laying down for the x-rays was excruciatingly painful for her, but she was a good patient and did just as she was told. Finally all the tests came back, and the doctor called me in, only to tell me that they couldn't find any reason for her pain, and to follow up with a General Care Doctor.  He did give Mom a shot, to ease her discomfort until she was able to be examined at a later date.

While in the waiting room this night... my brother, the girls and I had the most unusual conversation with another person who was also waiting for a family member. This person was a 'morgue worker' (not sure what they are called) and Krissie and Kaylan had the most fun asking him all these questions about his job. That night, I learned more than any person who is not in the funeral industry needs to know about cadavers and autopsies. Krissie was especially chagrined to learn how they peel the skin back over the head for autopsies. (like peeling a banana, so he said). I am not sure if Krissie and Kaylan kept asking their questions because they was truly interested or because they enjoyed watching my brother's face turn white. 

Hiking in Hocking Hills

My paternal grandparents lived in Southeastern Ohio. On one of our summer visits in the mid 1970s, we went to Hocking Hills for the day. After the long drive there, we had a picnic. I don't remember what we had, but I assume it was sandwiches and Bumble Bee Potato Chips. After we had finished our picnic and put everything away, we set out on one of the trails. My older brother, Ricky, ran up ahead, followed by my Dad and Grandfather. Mom, Grandma and myself followed at our own pace.  The scenery was beautiful. Everything was so green and the trees towered over us. I don't know if I had ever seen a waterfall before or if this was my first time, but I do remember being fascinated by the one on the path we chose. What a wondrous sight to behold.. especially when you don't expect to see it!  After looking at the waterfall for a little while.. Mom decided to head back towards the picnic area. Grandma and I walked a little further along the path and then we too headed back to wait for Daddy, Grandpa and Ricky. I don't remember anything else from this outing.. but to this day, I can still close my eyes and see my Grandmother and Mom walking with me up that hill and the waterfall that awaited us at the top. 

The Synagogue

My maternal grandmother lived next door to a Synagogue. As children, my cousins and I were always looking for something to explore. On one of our adventures, we were playing in the back parking lot of the synagogue. Susan discovered the door was unlocked, and suggested that we go in and look around. Being the youngest, I followed them everywhere... so in we went. The interior was just like any other church, minus the symbolic "Christian Cross" that you see in most Protestant Churches. I remember how quiet and peaceful the building felt. While we were in the chapel (I don't know what they call this in a synagogue), I heard a toilet flush.

Sharon exclaimed that the building was haunted and that the ghosts were angry with us for intruding and that we should leave immediately. We all ran back to my grandmother's house as fast as our little legs could go. For a long time after that, I couldn't look over at the Synagogue without thinking the ghosts were going to come get me...

This would have been between 1975 and 1980

I have so many random memories that pop into my head at any given time. These memories are not in any chronological order....  they are just the randomness in my head...  My mother used to tell me that I remembered certain events wrong.. and my reply to her was always.. but that is how I remembered the event!  To me, the way I remembered something is the way it happened, at least in my mind. I've been told that I should keep a journal of events from the time I was a small child... and I did to a degree.. off and on... I hope to do better! 


This blog will not be a journal of day-to-day events.. it will be just my random memories...