MORE CATCH UP

And I don't mean that red kind that you put on French Fries!

I mean the kind where I give you more information than you ever wanted to know! I have not blogged in so long there is lots of information out there that you know nothing about.....and probably could go all your life and not care that you didn't know. But! I want you to know! So here goes!

My first catch up news is what is going to take place in the next two weeks. My parents, who live in Lubbock, are coming to see us! That is exciting and unusual. Unusual for several reasons. They have never liked that we live 10 to 12 hours away! My mother doesn't like Beaumont and they are getting on in years and their health is not real good right now, so this is monumental.

My dad had to have neck surgery in 2005 for a slipped disc. He had lost use of his right leg and could not feel anything with his hands. The docs told him they could not return his health but could help it not get any worse! Great news you don't want to hear! None the less, it has taken a long road to recovery and he is still working on it. He still walks with a walker, mainly for stability so he doesn't fall! The feeling in his hands is better and he can do for himself more than he was able to do. He is like the pink bunny, he just keeps on trekking and working on getting better.

My mom's health has not been great for many years. She has congestive heart failure and has been obese for most of her life. At least, as long as I can remember. The sad part is I am a lot like her. I am also obese and try to remind myself of her woes, but I still have trouble getting the weight off. Enough about me though. My mom had a set back when my dad had his neck surgery. While dad was in the hospital, we (my sister and I) had to put mom in the hospital as well, for anemia. She was on three different medications for her blood thinning and they got it so thin she was "bleeding out!" In other words, you could touch her arm and she would bruise. It was so bad, the ER doctor was mad at her doctors and said so! and they would not let her out of bed, even to pee because they said if she were to fall, she would die! It was pretty serious. In fact, the day before, she had passed out in dad's hospital room and was feeling so tired. We all chalked it up to stress, but found out we were all wrong!

The saddest part of this story is after I got mom home. I had to take my sister to Abilene so she could go home the day my mother was released from the hospital. I did not get to talk to the doctor so after we got home I was quizzing her on what the doctor said. They released her without giving her anything for the anemia and said to come back to see them in two months! What? No medication, no iron, no tests before then? What do you mean? I was livid. I called the doctor's office and had trouble talking to anyone. But I persued and finally talked with a nurse. When I explained it all, she understood my anger. Because I was leaving town over the weekend, she wasn't sure she could give me an answer. Fortunately, she called me back the same day and we had medication! I shudder to think had I not been there, what would have happened! My mother is from the generation that if the doctor does not say anything, you don't question it. He is the doctor afterall!!!!

The next saddest part to this whole story is that I had to come home. I was having company for Thanksgiving. May not seem important to you, but my potential new son-in-law and his mother were coming! I had to be home! So I left dad in rehab at the hospital. (And he didn't want to be there!) And left mom at home by herself, trying to get back to the hospital. Problem in that because of her heart condition, she can't walk a long way without shortness of breath. But they would not consider moving! In fact, my mother became quite depressed in the hospital because she was afraid they were going to have to move! They have no family left in Lubbock and they are alone, except for church family and friends. What do people do without church family?

Anyway, to finish up this post, my sister will fly from Dallas to Lubbock next week to drive mother and dad to Corsicana, where she lives. I will then drive from Beaumont to Corsicana and pick them up and bring them here for a week. There will be about three days where they will be here as well as Trent and Mindy. We will then all go back to Corsicana and my family will come back to Beaumont while I drive mother and dad back to Lubbock and hop on a plane home the next day! Whew! I am tired just thinking about it! But excited my parents are coming, they will get to meet Trent and sad at thinking this may well be the last time they will be in my home!

At least, they are talking of selling their house and moving to Corsicana. They will not look at houses in Corsicana until they sell their house. When they return in January, hopefully, they will put the house on the market. As I understand it, they are boxing up as they clean out and are making plans to move! That is encouraging. I never thought they would leave Lubbock. My dad was born there, I was born there and they have never talked of leaving. I think they know with their health and age (in their 80's) they really don't have many choices. This is the best.

So I ask that you pray for them. Pray for their health, pray for their safety and pray that their house sells quickly. While you are praying, add our visit on your list as I think things could become potentially sticky as we will be forced to discuss our church situation! More on that tomorrow!