The Gift of Mobility

So I told you before that our friend Judy gave us a wheelchair and a walker. We haven't had to use the wheelchair yet, but the walker is coming in very handy! It sure is giving Dutch the confidence to walk a few steps further because now he doesn't have to worry about making it back.

Thank you so much for your prayers for us, our family and for our store! In case you haven't seen our store, I put a little video clip on YouTube where I take you on a tour. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3zD92I1C14

Since we can't be the proud parents any longer and take care of things as we ought, we are looking for new parents to nurture and guide our "baby". We love to look back and see the road that God has taken us on; all the things He taught us along the way and all of the friendships that were forged. We trust with confidence that He has a plan for not only our future but for our employees and the store itself. Stay tuned! We will have lots to praise God for.

Nutrition? and musings about our store

Not paying much attention to nutrition and what foods are good for you, got us into the situation we are in. For me, heart problems and diabetes and overweight and for Dutch all of that plus cirrhosis brought on by all of that.

So watching sugar and salt in our diet has really become important now. Like covering the well after the baby fell in, but important nonetheless. So this morning we sat and looked up different things online and just pulled some of our favorite staples out of the cupboard and refrigerator and looked at the labels so we could learn. Very interesting!! Of course the first thing you learn is that you shouldn't eat most of the stuff you like and that you really need to train your taste buds to appreciate new things. So here we go on that adventure. Wish us well!

Had an appointment with our main Gastro Doc yesterday and we made it home without Dutch landing in the hospital. YEAH!!! He also said that there was no rush for me to get treated for my Hep C.

DOUBLE YEAH!! Praise the Lord!! I know I have to be treated eventually, but buying some time for that was a relief!

We are hoping that we are getting closer to finding a buyer for our store. We went there on Sunday to have a look around. When I'm home and away from the store, it's easier to say we are selling the store and passing it on to someone new. When I'm there and see everything, the memories come flooding back and it's harder to let go. I even found myself looking at nails and screws my brother Tom put into a partition he built for us. The memories are overwhelming, but wonderful. We have so much to be thankful for.

In the break room hangs a picture depicting hands and of course they are meant to remind us that we are in God's hands. This picture was given to us when our son was dieing and it meant so much to me then. I hung it in the store a long time ago, so we would always know that we are in God's hands. Now I'm torn if I should leave it hanging there for staff and future owners to remember, or if I should take it home. All these decisions!

We have made so many friends through the store over the years and have been so blessed by it. We have been able to support and spread a craft that gives you so many hours of pleasurable therapy. When you know how to knit and crochet... well you know what I'm trying to say. Yesterday at the doctor's office, there were a lady and her 12 year old daughter. I was working on a pair of socks and the daughter got all excited because she wanted to learn so bad! I showed her how to cast on and we were just starting on the first knit row when we were called in and we had to put the knitting away. I'm hoping that her enthusiasm will continue and she will seek out other teachers from whom she can learn.

Times are bad, but God is good. We are so blessed!

Dutch 101308

We are so excited! Dutch has lasted a whole week feeling real good and most of all, NO hospital visits!!! Praise The Lord!!

The doctors are again encouraging him to walk more, so they gave a prescription for a walker. The thinking is that if he has a walker, he will feel more secure when he walks. Just as we were looking into getting one, our dear friend Judy from church offered us her mother's walker just shortly after her mother passed (THANK YOU Judy!!) and not only her walker but her wheelchair as well. The walker works great and even has a seat on it so Dutch can sit and rest and not worry about venturing too far and not be able to make it back. We haven't used the wheelchair yet, but I know it will come in handy when we have to go on any errands. When we go to Costco of course, we use their motorised wheelchair, that I way I don't have to push him.

We still love to go down to the harbor to sit and to walk. Today it's a bit windy so we'll see. Last week we went for a blood test to check on his hemaglobin numbers. We see the doctor on Wednesday for the results. Of course I always have a copy sent to us, so I already know that he seems to be holding his own. Or at least he was when the test was taken.

In a week Niqua is coming out for a few days and we can't hardly wait. We were supposed to go to a retreat with our church while Niq is here, but I don't want to leave Dutch alone. If he's feeling good that day, we will perhaps go up for the day.

New Blood

Perhaps I already said it, but I would like to say it again:
THANK YOU to the person(s) who donated blood. Dutch is feeling much better since the blood transfusion. We so appreciate that someone took the time and made the effort, not to mention being stuck with a needle, to give of themselves (!!!) to donate to someone else. God bless you, we appreciate it!

38 years ago someone else donated blood for ME! As it turned out, testing was not what it is today and I contracted Hepatitis C from this transfusion. But you don't hear me complaining. I am still thankful! Because they gave, I'm alive today. How cool is that!?

Dutch first week of October 2008

This picture is of the white board in our room at the hospital. Did you notice I said our room? YES!! They were able to give us a private room again. It makes it sooo much easier!! Anyway, this, believe it or not is a drawing of Dutch's brain. Doctors here like to draw pictures for you to explain things... What he was showing us was that Dutch has some lesions all over his brain, but they are not evidence of a stroke.





At our church there is a quilt ministry. The ladies will take name from the prayer list and make quilts for them. As they tie the knots, a group of them will sit and pray for the person the quilt is for. Dutch loves it when I bring this quilt to the hospital because then he knows that he is covered in prayer. Praise God!







Since I am always the one taking pictures, I thought perhaps I should turn the camera on myself. Having been discharged and just waiting for the last paperwork, we got a bit silly. Now you can see I had to make sure I got my chin in the air, so my many double chins wouldn't be in the picture!
Dutch is sensitive to light, so sitting there all dressed up with HOME to go to, he sported his glasses. Doesn't he look cool?






We thank you so much for your prayers. How blessed we are!

Mary and Martha

Dutch and I are real close and are accustomed to and love to spend time with each other. Having been retired for a while now, we never seem to be far apart. This is even more the case now that he is going through these medical problems. There is LOTS to do around the house but I always have Dutch's "Can you come and sit with me?" in my ear. I remember when his mother was living with us, and all she wanted was for me to sit and "visit" with her. I did, but with one foot out the door. Now in retrospect I often think what it would have hurt if I had been more patient with her.

The Bible talks about Mary and Martha. Mary would sit at Jesus' feet and listen, while Martha was busy in the kitchen and resented Mary for not helping. I have to say that much of my life I have been Martha and sooo wanted to be Mary.

Thanks to the faithfulness of our staff at the store, I can be Mary and sit with Dutch through thick and thin, and leave all responsibilities at the door. We cherish this time together and are so thankful for it. Who among us knows how much time we have left? To have an illness where you know that your days are numbered are truly a gift. It makes you savor the moment and appreciate what you have.

Luke 10:38-42

At the Home of Martha and Mary 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, "Lord, don't you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!"
41"Martha, Martha," the Lord answered, "you are worried and upset about many things, 42but only one thing is needed.[a] Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her."

Another week, another trip to the hospital

On Wednesday the first of October, we had a scheduled appointment with the liver specialist at Scripps. That morning, I had noticed when Dutch went down the stairs that his left foot was dragging ever so slightly. I'm sure he was not aware of it. On the way to the appointment, Dutch was feeling so poorly, that he asked me to stop en route. We stopped at a restaurant so he could use the restroom. Walking back to the car, he stopped and doubled over saying he was just so out of gas!! (energy). I was so thankful that we were already on the way to the hospital. Dutch even agreed to being placed in a wheelchair to get from the car to the doc's office.

Once in front of the doctor, I told the doc about him dragging his foot that morning so the doc did the reflex exams and found the reflex on his left leg to be "hyper". Since there was the possibility that Dutch had suffered a mild stroke (Doc: you really feel crappy, don't you??) and that it is possible that a hole in the heart can contribute to a stroke, the gastro doc conferred with the cardiologist and they decided that Dutch should be admitted to the hospital. Long story, lots of tests later, they found no evidence of a stroke although he may have had a small TIA. His hemoglobin was 8.8 so they decided to give him a blood transfusion. That night he had an explosive dark stool (possible evidence of a bleed) and vomited, so the question was once again if he was bleeding.

Long story short, after sitting one night on a chair and the second night with a few winks on a cot (PTL!!) we are home. Had a good shower and a great night's sleep. Dutch's first thoughts this morning with a big smile were that I had better pack the suitcase again, just in case... :-)))

Today he's feeling great and enjoying his Iowa football game. We're again thankful for all of your prayers and your love. We're also again thankful for the great care we received at the hospital. ok, so now I have to read all of the discharge instructions and the change of meds and give him his meds. I have a bunch of over ripe bananas, so I'm thinking some banana bread might be on the horizon. Don't need to be constipated, so I might add some baby food prunes. Never did that before, so we'll see. (Trying hard to make adjustments to our diet to limit sugar, salt and protein and of course, portion sizes)
Whew!!!