Anything but chillin' !

Our lives have changed so much since returning home from Florida.  Since being home, we have moved Mama into a very nice assisted living apartment and, this month, we moved her back out.  This week we moved her into a rehabilitation care nursing home.  Bummer!

She went from having an active lifestyle to sitting in a wheelchair or lying in bed--so quickly.  She was healthy and had always taken care of herself.  But a stroke can hit anyone no matter their health.  This last stroke has affected her left side and her brain.  She is slowing walking again (with help) but her brain has been damaged from these strokes.  She can't really carry on a normal conversation with us.  One moment she sounds okay then she takes a left turn into the twilight zone.  Right now, someone has to do everything for her.  That's pretty sad. 

Our days have been really busy.  We have this farm to take care of, our home, our vehicles, Mama's business, her laundry and whatever else our week holds.  We have been to visit her everyday that she was in the hospital, everyday before moving her into assisted living and several days a week after moving her in.  We have been everyday this week to check on her.  Yep, we've been doing anything but chillin', here lately. Maybe after this week, we can slow down on the visits to a few times a week.   She stays so confused anymore due to the brain damage.

I've never known a stroke patient and I'm learning a lot.  I'm learning to keep conversation simple.  Her brain can't process a lot of words.  No matter what she says, don't argue with her.  There have been a couple times she asked me who I was.  She takes a word from a conversation down the hall and thinks she needs to respond to it.  I tell her it's a nurse talking to someone else but she thinks every conversation she hears is to her or about her.  I feel like anymore, all I do is explain things. 

It could be any of us.  We better get our hearts right with God.  She's better off than a lot of people.  She may walk again without our help but some can't and never will.  She can speak and swallow but some can't.  I don't know if she understands when she hears a preacher speak anymore.  Can she even worship God anymore?  I don't know.  We never know what kind of shape we may find ourselves one day.  Be the best you can be now.  Tell God how much you love Him now.  

To all our children:  Let Grandmother's condition be a learning experience for you as it is for us.  Think of all the people you want to let know how much you appreciate them and love them and do it.
We are never guaranteed tomorrow.  Be kind and loving and understanding to everyone you meet.  God loves us all the same--even those running around with their pants falling to their knees--even those with tattoos all over their bodies and piercings all over their faces--even those who cuss you and treat you like crap when they don't even know you--even those who would lie to you, cheat you, rob you and kill you.  God loves them all.  (Hey, I'm talking to myself the same as you guys!)  I'm the worse to think bad of someone who appears to be a loser and living off of other's hard work. That's wrong on my part.  Who am I to judge another?  Like our pastor says, "Not everyone has signed on with Jesus yet, so we can't judge them for not living like Jesus."  There's a lot of wisdom in that statement.  So with that, I'll say
Check ya' later dude and dudettes!