kanderson

being the animal lover i am, i know we need to protect ourselves from harm against critters, but i ask please, when using pesticides, please be careful as they can and do kill other wildlife like birds that eat the insects. pesticides get into the soil and can kill for years to come. children like to play in the dirt too. i lived in az for over 30years, there was not very many critters i didn't dealt with over the years. if i left them alone, the left me alone and went on their way. snakes can be dealt with by the fire dept. we had pets, so i was very cautious of what lerked in my back yard. i had bark scorpions everywhere because of the pine trees. black widows in my garage. a fried of mine found a gila monster in his garage once. i found desert tortoises all over the yard, garter snakes everywhere. rattlesnakes were never a problem where i lived, coyotes ran the streets at night in alot of areas., jumping over 6ft fences looking for pets. we had horse farms not far from us, they attract snakes for the mice and rats that ate the horse feed. ok i've said enough. please just be careful with pesticides

mc, that is great news, i know how long you have been waiting for this to happen. sounds like it was a wonderful time for you. i hope you and the boys will do this often. i think its good therapy for all of you.

janis, i wish i could add something, but i can't, you have gotten some great suggestions. we have the best support group on the web. someone always has some great ideas. stay strong and ask for help from everyone you can. apply for medicaid too if you can. to help with co-pays and dental, not sure if medicaid covers dental. things will start to look better. i promise.

fred, what a wonderful thing you are doing times two. the soldiers are happy you are there for them, what a blessing that you are able to help them. the puppy was another wonderful thing you did. i see smiles on both faces when i read your blog. my parents had the same breed of dog. she was adorable and yes pure breeds are very expensive but they are smart and train well. you didn't tell us what your granddaughter named her. i bet thats all she talks about at school. LOL

post a picture of them if you can. you are a very busy pa-pa now. thankyou for the update.

yolie, how beautiful tootie looks as she always does. how exciting for both of you. thankyou for sharing this with us. she always amazes me, she is such an inspiration for all survivors. bless her heart.

fred, i too am so sorry to hear of your brothers passing. it will take time to get over the loss. loosing a family member is tough. sounds like you have alot of good memories to help you get through your loss. having such a big family, each sibling is special to you in 1 way or another. he was a good brother to you. i wish you peace and comfort knowing he is with the lord and is watching over you like he did in his younger years.

leah, i totally understand how you feel, losing my hubby alittle over a year ago, i still grieve and feel the loss daily in my heart, tears come very often to me but i try and weather the storm, its hard on my sons too. the holidays and birthdays are the worse.i am grateful for the time i had with him, but it wasn't enough, that i couldn't control. the memories will last a lifetime and i think of them everyday. it does get easier with time after a loss. life just isn't the same anymore but i should be used to that by now because of my stroke. you getting out more will help you feel better. my prayers and love for you are never ending. hang in there. hopefully this new year will bring you peace and joy. take care of yourself too.

kimmie

karen, i am so thankful and happy that you both had time together for the holidays. i think and pray for you both daily. assisted living sounds like a good idea for you both. i hope that works out for you. i worry about you, but you have proven what a strong and determined woman you are through all of this. bill is in good hands with god and you at this side. i hope you have a better new year. each day is a blessing as you said. i wish you were able to get more sleep for your own health. lots of hugs and love to you in your battles. we are here to listen and support you.

kimmie

mc that is wonderful that you and marc got together, i remember the heartache you felt years ago regarding the relationship you had with your family. now it seems its coming together. our children don't see things as parents do but will understand more when they have their own children. words said cannot be taken back when said, but they can be forgotten to be able to move forward. like you said stay hopeful and positive and i bet things will all work out for everyone involved. have a wonderful christmas making new and happy memories with your family, 2012 might be the best year ever. this is a sad time of the year in memory of your brother's passing at christmas time. so keep your spirits high. he is watching over his family wanting all of you to be happy and together again. stay strong and you will have that happiness again with your family.

mc. i too will be praying for a happy gathering for you and your family, you have waited so long. family feuds are a waste of time and drain our emotions but they do happen over stupid reasons. your family needs to accept andre, especially seeing how happy you are together. hopefully this holiday season will be the one you have been longing for, a happy one.

LEAH, I AM SO SORRY ABOUT JERRY'S PASSING. GOD KNEW HE HAD SUFFERED ENOUGH AND HE WAS READY FOR HIM TO COME HOME AND BECOME YOUR ANGEL WATCHING OVER YOU FROM ABOVE. YOU WILL TAKE AWHILE TO GRIEVE AND TAKE ALL OF THE TIME YOU NEED. I HAVE YOU IN MY THOUGHTS AND CONTINUED PRAYERS. YOU ARE ONE OF THE STRONGEST WOMEN I KNOW. CONTINUE ON WITH YOUR RECOVERY AS YOU PROMISED JERRY AND HE WILL HELP YOU WITH HIS SPIRIT CHEERING YOU ON.

LOVE N HUGS,

KIMMIE

sue i sure understand your statement " You can’t move on with your life when you are still firmly attached to your partner." my hubby was not in a nursing home but died at home, totally unexpected, we were together for 40 years and the pain and heartache are still there for me. every day. i guess i am still firmly attached as well. being back around family has its good and bads. i don't see them that much. i miss his company and his partial understanding what i go through daily. you and ray have touched my heart since i came to the site. my prayers, love and hugs go out to you both everyday. hopefully ray will settle in and realize he can't come home right now, have you brought things from home to put around in his room to perhaps make it feel more homey for him? i hope you will be able to adjust to your new life as well without much added stress. i truly understand how you feel. god will help you though this and having the kids there will help too.

fred, kudo's to you. thats great news. you are a braver person that i am. i do agree the machines do a much better job at strengthening your leg than just normal exercises. you are working against more resistance with the machines. after my stroke i tried walking with out mine but clung to the walls like glue. i have a very intense fear of falling and breaking something. i havent gotten my confidence up to where you are, yet. i'd rather hang on to it as long as i can. i still have to wear my AF0 too. keep working at it hard and just be careful and hopefully you will be cutting the rug in no time. good luck

mc, you sound like me now,lol. i'm glad you were not hurt. the bruises i could write a book about i think. i usually can't get myself back up either but therapy is trying to help me with that. i bet you both made a pretty picture on the floor, LOL be more careful next time. i have heard that statement so many times its pathetic. the bruising heals but as we age it takes longer and the chance of breaking a hip is what really scares me. be safe

yes lenny you are so right. i am so grateful they are finally discovering what the brain is capable of doing to aide in stroke or any tbi recovery. it controls our entire body. its really sad we lose some of it when having a stroke or tbi. i too wish the recovery was quicker.i still jump out of my skin when i hear a loud noise though. that might never change,LOL

thankyou everyone for your comments and well wishes. believe me i am getting a grabber to have next to my recliner. i have one in my bedroom, never thought about another 1 for the living room. duh. i talked to my therapist and next week we are going to work on getting myself up, halleluiah. this will be a task of all tasks, but i'm ready to tackle it. i will keep you updated on my success or failure! hopefully i will master this.

asha, i am, so sorry to hear of the deaths in your family. how heartbroken you all must be. tragedy seems to strike when we are not prepared for it. i send you and your family my condolences. hoping the happy memories you have of your uncle and cousin, will get you through many days ahead.hopefully the car issues will be nothing major and those get sorted out too.

leah, you know you and jerry are in my thoughts and prayers. i am so sorry you are dealing with all of this, with all you have been through. its difficult to deal with your health and now jerry's. be optimistic and hopeful the cancer can and will be stopped dead it its tracks. and that you will heal again with time. i agree with the others, do use the help you need from others. i really utilize my home health services, my aide comes 3 times a week and does my light housekeeping along with helping me with my showers or anything else i really need. she is wonderful. therapy comes 4 times a week and the nurse 1 day a week to monitor my bp and does a good exam when she comes. its funny, she has a fear of my dogs, although none of them would hurt her, they just bark when shes here, so i have to make sure they are secure somewhere before she comes over. she sticks her head in the door crack before she enters the house. its really funny, she is from india. and loves what she does, i am lucky to have her. anyway, please don't worry to much about your situation, it will get better with time. our prayer warriors are all praying for you and jerry. take care of yourself and remember to not sweat the small stuff.

fred, i hear ya. this is not the welcoming weather i had anticipated in my move back home. but it is what it is! like you, i just stay inside where its cool. az heat did not have the humidity tx does. so 115 hot days were tolerable with water, shade or chances to cool off in the ac. my hubby used to work on roofs on those really hot days, then go sit in his truck with the ac to cool him down, then back on the roof for awhile. heat stroke got to him several times. i worried so much about him on those really hot days. we finally got some rain last week, a good soaking. hopefully your area got some too. stay out of the heat on your scooter, we worry about you out there.

kimmie

leah, i'm glad you are home now back with jerry. the home health i receive was a godsend after my fall with my broken ribs, i am still improving according to my therapists, so the services will continue. i hope your care from home health will help you as well. hopefully the back fracture will heal with time. then therapy can get you back to being stable when walking. no more falls!! i have you both in my thoughts and prayers for a good recovery. jerry's cancer will be treated and hopefully stopped. keep your positive spirits miracles can happen. god is watching over you both and will continue to do so until this crisis passes. stay strong my dear friend leah. you have incredible strength in you. i have seen it. i'm sending you lots of soft hugs(((((((())))))))). i will keep in touch with you to make sure you are remaining positive trough all of this.

love n hugs,

kimmie

fred, i too was so happy to see Gabriele Gifford . she is a walking miracle in my book. she still has alot of recovery ahead of her, her arm just hung and she didn't use it and still needing support while standing. for her to be back working so soon is a very good sign. she stood proud, waving at her supporters. she brought tears to my eyes, knowing how far she has come and the hard work needed to get there. i think she is a remarkable woman. i pray for her continued recovery. thank you for the link, it looks like a good read. the debt crisis was real but the media and government caused a panic amongst us americans, that was not needed and our government botched it up in the 1st place. we shall see how it all unfolds. i just pray that they fix the problem without causing more undue stress and more panic to the american people.

karen, what can i say, there is so much you have endured and now you are suffering along with bill and i hate that. as you do i'm sure. bills love for his family is stronger than his will to leave them. you are the driving force that is helping him to live. i pray that this treatment can help him. i just wish it wasn't so hard on you both. each new day brings hope. we all have you in our daily thoughts and prayers. hang in there. i am sending you love and many hugs.

congrats asha on your 20 year mark anniversary. i wish you and hubby another 30 years together. i admire your custom of arranged marriages and to stay married for so long. that takes alot of work and love for each other without knowing much about each other prior to your marriage.

fred,i couldn't agree with you more. i love animals far better than some human's. they are the best in my stroke recovery. the love and affection i get from them is amazing, they love me no matter, what i am now. i pray daily for their safety against abusers, trophy hunters, and poaching. we are driving many species to the point of extinction with man's bad behavior. they are losing their habitat to the population of man, so they have no choice but to encroach on man. i am a huge animal lover of all kinds. they are able to express love, devotion, so they have feelings, and in a way act like man. god created them for a reason, we should be protecting them for many generations to come. our zoo's are a way to protect the species. which i love seeing them but not caged up like that. i grew up on a farm with alot of animals, which explains my love for them. mine are like my family, spoiled, loved and taken good care of. with 4 cats and dogs. they are alot of work, so i need the help of my son's to do what i can't. if one of my pets escaped, i would be a mess. thank you fred for helping that lady out, what a very kind thing to do. sometimes animals do bad things, no different from the way man acts. then they are beaten, and abused. look at michael vick and what he did. i hate the fact they are used in labs for medical research, that is just wrong, let our over crowed prisons, provide specimen's for medical research as punishment. i'm sorry to go on and on, but i could talk all day about them. they add so much beauty and joy to our world today. i get really emotional when i see or hear bad things happening to them. what rachel said was very true. we use animals in the wrong ways. they have a right to be here on this earth, so why does man do such bad things to them? i am right there every time to fight for their rights, safety, extinction, you name it, i'm always writing my congressman to help and stop things that will hurt them. whether it be, habitat, environmental or whatever. ok nuf said,

leah. i definitely have you both in my thoughts and prayers. i can guess how worried you both must be.lets pray that it is not cancer. life sure has a way of throwing hardships into our lives. you have had your share. i am so happy that they finally got the fires under control before they burned the entire beautiful state of arizona. it just breaks my heart when i heard of another fire burning there. as you stated please keep us updated on jerry. if you need an ear, i'm only a phone call away.

hugs and prayers,

kimmie