Leaf Play

Thanksgiving is now done and so we rush into Christmas.  Afton is heading home, her home in LA and her love Nick this morning and it is truly sad to see her go.  Saying that I know she is looking forward to being at HER home with her Nick.  The visit has been awesome, especially her getting to spend time with her niece, our granddaughter, Rio.  They had a wonderful time yesterday at Woodward Park.

Rio LOVED playing in the leaves. 

My BEAUTIFUL girls... 

The innocence of a child. 

Now we plan for Christmas.  My tree is up (thank you family) and a good part of my Christmas is bought.  Just need to finish up and bake a bit and I will be READY!  

HO-HO-HO

Happy Thanksgiving, Not Really

It's over and all that's left is turkey pieces and sweet potatoes.  I may never want to eat again!  My stomach is so full I feel like I'm going to POP!  The day started with me up early to get the turkey out of the brine, rinsed, seasoned and tossed into the oven.  I was on my game yesterday and The Hubby said he didn't know what I did but I should do it again, as he carved.  It was the best turkey I've ever cooked.  

The morning was going well until I saw on Facebook that a friend of our lost his fight with cancer.  Mr. Charles Faudree lost his very long battle with cancer Thanksgiving morning.  He was a world renowned interior designer and one of the most fun loving free spirits you could ever know.  I was lucky enough to know him and love him.

He even was able to come to one of my birthday parties and shake a leg a few years ago.  I am very sad.  What a joy he was.

The day went on with family coming to visit and eat and I THOUGHT all was well.  Remember when I had written a bit on the trials and tribulations on my niece and her drug/stealing issues!  Well, she and her "new husband" were in attendance and I thought during most of the afternoon that he looked, well, a bit on the stoned side.  I probably was not too off.  Anyway, after most had left Afton was looking in her purse and found that it had been opened and one of her pill bottles disturbed, in fact some of the pills were even wet.  That spurred the mother-in-law to check her purse that was on my bed along with the niece's purse.  Lo and behold she had three $20 bills in her coin purse and they were gone.  I am very disappointed with my niece and her hubby.  How could they steal.  Bri caught her in the bedroom several times thinking she was in her own purse, never thinking she was rifling a purse not her own.  That girl and her husband are not allowed at my house anymore!!!!!  I sent a text to my sister, trying to not be accusatory but told her what had happened and to check her purse.  Her response, "I did not have any money." That was ALL!  Good grief, it is your child but she has wiped her hands free of that child for good as we all will now.  My girls are so mad that she took advantage of their MiMi they are blowing steam out the top of their heads.  

Happy Thanksgiving

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Good morning to one and all...and a very, VERY 

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

This and That

Turkey day is fast approaching and I can't seem to get my mind off of it.  I think it's because I love, LOVE to have family home and to FEED them!  Probably the most important reason this year is that our sweet Afton will be here!  She flies in tomorrow night and I CAN NOT WAIT to see her!  

Today, I had to go into the office and do a bit of work then fly off to Daddy's to set up his Medical Alert button.  That took a bit since I had the wires crossed, but it is done!  

Then to the store for dinner, gas in the car and HOME!  I feel better driving around because The Hubby got me a couple of new front tires.  One of them had a slow leak and when they took it off it had a slit deep inside!  Kind of scary!

Home to wait for The Hubby to come home and have a nice dinner of salmon and spinach.  

Tomorrow will be another whirlwind of running as I have to go the office yet again to type an invoice.  I have to get my house in order for company on Thursday so it will be back home to work on that and wait for the delivery of my new red leather loveseat.   We still have the HUGE leather chairs in the dining room that need to taken to storage yet they still SIT.  I have to have them gone no later than Wednesday!  Nag, nag, nag!

Hopefully tomorrow I will be able to go to my art class!

Toodles all.

Fabulous Fashionistas

This film was posted on my daughter's Facebook page.  It is called Fabulous Fashionistas and I am in love with the wonderful women it shows.  It is about 50 minutes long but will be the best 50 minutes you ever spent.  Please enjoy!

The Alliday Show

Tis the season to be extremely busy!

Thanksgiving is rolling ahead fast and furious and our house will be full of family soon to eat, eat, eat and just love each other.  Afton is coming home and I could not be happier to see her.  It has been several months.  She will be here to celebrate Thanksgiving and to help with Briana's 

The Alliday Show 

That is a full family affair with all of us pitching in to make it great.  It's the 4th year for the event and Briana is getting better and better at getting it fine tuned and running smoothly.  There will be some amazing crafters there so you will have to come by to shop for Christmas presents!!!!!  I will have some note cards in Bri's booth and will man her space while helping to manage little Rio!  Afton will also do a bit of SINGING around and have CD's for you to buy.  So come on down:  

Doors open 9 am -5 pm...I believe there will be a goodie bags for the first 50 in the door!

The Holidays!

I don't have much to share here lately because my life has been rush, rush, rush, except for yesterday.  Yesterday was a day of ME!  I went to workout, then quick shower in anticipation for the day.  I had my hair appointment, then a mani/pedi.  After that it was a quick drive to the rest of the day....a massage and facial.  Yes, it was my day yesterday!  

Last Sunday I finally got my pantry cleaned out.  It has been on my list of tasks to complete since last spring and was just getting worse and worse with crap falling off of the shelves.  Well, Sunday I'd had it!  Looky here at what I accomplished.  I got rid of expired foods and filled a huge box with pasta and rice stuff to give to B&B2 and little Rio.  I only kept some brown rice and whole wheat pasta, the rest was GONE!  Amazing how much brown sugar I have amassed, and I don't even bake but around Christmas time.  Hopefully, I will get to use that up this year.  

I'm looking forward to the holidays even though they seem to be RUSHING to us so fast.  Afton will be home soon to have a wonderful Thanksgiving with us and I am THRILLED!  Then we will jump right into Bri's The Alliday Show.  It is an all family thing with a job for us all!  I won't have a booth this year but will join with Bri's booth and have lots of my notecards (from my paintings.)  Before Af flies back to LA we will again meet with family for a nice evening of 3-way and setting up our Christmas tree and stuff.  I've done this the past few years, including the mother-in-law, brother-in-law and husband and since Af will be here I'm thrilled to have her be a part of the set up. Of course, B&B2 and Rio will be here, that should be interesting with a toddler but what fun!  

Moments of My Life

It's 4:52 a.m. on this crisp Saturday morning and yes I AM AWAKE!  Gosh, I guess sleeping in is never going to happen for me again.  My mind just wakes up and I'm up.  Oh well, it will be a day of painting for me, much like yesterday was.  I finished a couple of paintings, one a commission!

Her name is Rosie!

Yesterday was a monumental day for us with the construction of the new building.  See that open space...

now it is filled with CONCRETE!  Finally something to show for over a couple of years of planning and all the little stuff that you could not tell was construction.  By the end of the year we may be able to rent out part of the building and move our operations in the other part.   

The stone building is undergoing a lot of renovations inside too but I haven't really seen any of it.  The Hubby is doing it separately from the new building and it's a lot of demolition and stuff like new wiring and A/C units on the roof.  I'm just waiting and being patient for the second floor for my new art studio!  (Sigh!)

Kale and Red Wine

This morning is rough.  Rough because yesterday I fixed a fabulous veggie soup with lots of kale and chipotles in adobo sauce.  It was hot and spicy and very yummy.  The rough part is the add on of last night.  We went out to dinner with some of our neighbors to the local Platt College restaurant called Foundations.  Honestly, we've had better food there before but it was great fun to spend time laughing and visiting with the wonderful neighbors.  On top of the spicy soup filled with kale was a lot of red wine, in fact, I'm still a bit tipsy this morning.  That, along with the kale rich spicy soup, well, let's just say I'm not going too far away from the house this morning.  I had planned on staying in bed this morning as I don't have anywhere to go today but of course my bladder and Clayton's bladder was having none of that.  So up and moving (literally) I am this morning.  I think I will go back to bed in a bit.

SOLD

Remember this picture I took?  Well, I painted it...

and felt really good by what was happening on the canvas...

Yesterday in class I finished it and posted it on Facebook.  Well, the hits were plenty and within an hour it was sold.  It's not titled, or even dry but it is SOLD!  I may not have sold anything in my month long show but I sure can sell on Facebook!  YEAH!  Plus, it is going to a friends house.  She already owns 3 of my paintings.  Now that is a fan!

Think I'll call it 

"A VIEW"

Cuteness = Rio Rae

Nothing but cuteness this post.  This little darlin' has become a champion napper, most of the time.  She is sleeping nearly 3 hours every day and that makes work so much more possible.  After nap it snack time though and she loves her snack.  

Just look at those curls that are developing!

Time to play with Granddaddy! 

Just CUTE! 

Her second Halloween and this year she is:  Maggie Simpson! 

My Week In Review

Guess I have come to blogging once a week instead of every day as of late.  I'm okay with that.  Lots of stuff to pile up and talk about I guess.

The Hubby went out of town Sunday to Tuesday for a guy weekend and I just pulled into myself as I was just not feeling well.  In fact, art class I painted but just didn't feel it.  I am liking what I am working on in this photo.  It's from one of the cabins front porch from this summer.  See the tiny photo on the easel and the big one is the painting.  There will be a corner full of flowers I think next week in class.  

My show at The Canebrake is just about to wrap up and so far as I've heard, nothing has sold, yet.  I guess that is okay as it is nice to at least have it out there, to be in the public eye, name recognition!  

Did I tell you that one of my paintings will be at the Philbrook Festival of Trees!  That is a BIG deal as it is a juried show! 

Rio is now officially a walker.  She's played around with walking for over a month now but Thursday she just preferred walking instead of crawling.  I bought this little chair for her a week ago and took it to the shop.  It may have been too much for her at first as she insisted on sitting on the arms and standing most of the time but with a little persistent "SIT DOWN" she mastered it.  It is a favorite place for her and since I read a lot while watching her, she will get a book and climb in it and pretend to read her book.  So CUTE!

We've had a couple of marriages happen in the family, one good and one not so.  The niece that I have written about here ran off last weekend and got married.  If she doesn't have enough crap going on in her life.  It was a bonehead move on her part.  She needed to get her life going in a better direction before that should have happened but what do I know.  

Another marriage, the BEST, is The Hubby's brother and his partner.  They flew to Manhattan and tied the knot and we could not have been happier.  The have been together for years and years and we love them immensely.  It was the best news and we can't wait to celebrate with them when they return!

Yesterday I was attending a women's financial conference at OSU-Tulsa put on by the Women's CPA something.  No, I am not a CPA but a friend is and it was put on to enlighten women about finance.  One of the sessions was about Obamacare and the whole day could have been on that.  The intense questions and information that was given was very useful, especially for business owners like us.   It was a woman empowering day and I intend on attending again next year.  

While there I received a text from my high school bestie (in the middle) with these photos.  OH MY GOODNESS!  The Three Musketeers we were.  It was Christmas and I think we were at her house.  I have not ever seen these photos.  

LOVE THEM (the photos and the girls).

I posted this on Facebook and the response was about my long hair.  Yes, and it got even longer as I didn't cut it until 1979 (this photo was 1973 probably), just after Bri was born.   

Those were the days weren't they.  This week has been a bit of reminiscences with these photos and movies.  On Sunday night while The Hubby was gone I happened onto American Graffiti and watched it from beginning to end.  I know that was a bit before my time (not by much though) but we still did some of the same stuff.  Mainly draggin' the main strip (Main Street) in our cars, back and forth and back and forth, stopping to chat in parking lots and such.  Takes me back and these photos do too.  I do miss those times, I really do.  It was an age of innocence for me.  

This next week will be full of art, art, art.  Tomorrow I am attending an all day IPad art class that I am kind of excited about.  I have to borrow Bri's IPad as I don't have one.  Monday is a lot of work as The Hubby is invoicing this weekend and then babysitting the little SnickleFritz.  Thursday my show ends and I have to take it down!  But then the whirlwind of Thanksgiving is on the horizon and Af is coming home!!!!!  We also have Bri's Alliday Show the weekend after Thanksgiving of which we will ALL be helping and attending.  I will have more on it later.  

Well, I toodles for now readers.  

Seasons of Change

 

Seasons change and I'm already missing the wonderful summer.  Even though our summer was not up to the snuff of the famous Oklahoma summers of the past, it was summer. 

Clayton will miss swimming in the creek.  See the little speck there, he and The Hubby love splashing in the creek after the Clayton run in the meadow.   

The deer will be here always but foraging for different kinds of food.  Look at that poor gal.  It's either a tumor or abcess on her jaw.  She's been in our area since she was a meer fawn with it so must be a growth of some kind. 

Of course the summer would not be complete without some of the visiting four-legged woof-woof's.  This one is a new baby and I can't for the life of me remember her name.  Isn't she adorable...think I will HAVE to paint her. 

Gone will be barefeet.  I don't know what it is about my feet but I love to take pictures of them.  If you have a foot fetish...sorry! 

Gone will be red lucious home-grown tomatoes...till next year! 

Time flies too as sweet Rio turned a year and is on to the next birthday.   

She had fun at her 1 year birthday party with her best pal Mondo!   

We now usher in mums, crisp fall air and fires in the fireplace. 

Oh, almost forgot the neighbor pup, Sissy!  Isn't she styling.  Will have to paint her too to go along with her little girl Annie that I painted for Harri a few years ago. 

Last night we hosted a gathering at our cabin of chili and homemade apple pies.  Gosh, I had not made pie crust in a few years.  It's my greatgranny's recipe and so very, very good. 

Chili to warm the insides on the rainy and cold October evening.  A fire in the fireplace and a yummy cocktail of apple cider and caramel vodka!  Yes, that was delicious and Zantac was consumed so I could sleep!

Unbaked... 

baked and in the fridge.  I made two and one was gone in less than 5 minutes.  This one will save for The Hubby's guy getaway tomorrow! 

Lastly, the last of the tomatoes.  I have one plant in the front of the cabin and the thing was loaded with green tomatoes but with a frost warning I quickly picked them last evening.  Think I will have to go off the diet and fry these babies up. 

 

Toodles all.  It's a long post and full of stuff cause I don't when I will get time to do this in the next few weeks. 

I Apologize

I must apologize for not reading and commenting on some of my favorite blogs as of late but my life has been such a whirlwind the only time I read anything is at bedtime lately or listen to a book in the car, much less sit down and read blog posts.  I miss my friends but it is what it is.  Life is barrelling along for me and I don't even have time for my creative side that NEEDS to come out.  I have got to find some time to just stop and express myself.  So this quick note is to apologize to one and all and Please don't give up on me.  I will be back, I promise...don't leave me.  Carla

Daddy's Home

I couldn't decide how I wanted to start this post so I thought I would plunge right in.  Daddy is home.  Yes, he is finally in his beloved home, sleeping in his beloved bed and sitting in his beloved chair.  But it has not been without a few ups and downs.  Yesterday while I was at the office and watching Rio my phone rang to say Daddy was ready to go home.  Being as it was pouring down rain and I was nearly downtown Tulsa and watching little one and couldn't schlep Daddy, baby, his TV and crap I called my trusty brother to pick him up.  Unfortunately, he was having a horrid day but it was what it was.  So he dropped all he was doing and went to get Daddy.  When he got there the nursing home acted like they had no idea Daddy was going home and they couldn't find anyone to make it HAPPEN!  Daddy was hot and Bro was hot that they didn't know their arse from a hole in the ground.  Finally, about 3 hours later they were walking out the door.  I then got on the texting to my Sis to see if she could go to the store and take Daddy a gallon of milk.  After texting her that Daddy was going home and she responded "Yeah" and "I bet he's happy", suddenly nothing.  I could not  get a response out of her for nothing.  RATS!  By the time I could even think about getting away from the office, and going to the store, then to Broken Arrow, in the pouring down rain, it would be rush hour and after a day of work and watching a very active 1 year old that took a 1 hour nap...NO, NO, NO!  I called my cousin who lives around the corner and he was more than happy to help his uncle and met them at the house with Daddy's milk.  That was the only thing Daddy needed.  Whew, that was done.

I planned to go to the house the next morning, this morning right after my workout about 7 am.  It's not too early for Daddy as he is up anywhere from 3 to 7 anyway.  Well, I pulled up and the house was dark and the paper was still on his porch.  I just turned the car off and decided I would wait for him to wake up.  I figured he was having happy sleep being home.  I texted Bro to tell him I was waiting and he called and we chatted. He told me to go ahead and go on in but I was afraid of scaring Daddy.  I waited until about 7:45 and decided to go in.  I had his basket of clean clothes in my hands and I picked up his paper, stuck my key in the lock and opened the door and yelled it was me (Daddy is about deaf)..........I was greeted with the picture of a full monty of my Daddy!!!!! My first thought was "I'm going blind" ......IIIICKKKKKK!!!!!  He had just gotten out of the shower and was heading to his bedroom for clothes.  His head was down and I realized that he couldn't hear me because his hearing aids were out because of the shower.  Right, he had no idea I was even there.  I put my head down, hollored again and kept walking in towards the kitchen.  I don't know if he heard me but I turned on all the lights and went straight to the kitchen and just waited.  YIKES!

All morning long I had been texting Sister to see if she could get Daddy into the doctor.  Since they go to the same practice I thought, she could do this.  But again, I heard nothing.  So I did the research and got him in on Thursday.  I called Daddy to let him know we had an appointment and he told me that not long after I left his house this morning my niece (Sister's girl) made and appearance to see him.  Normally, that would not be a problem but this 21 year old girl has some issues that have popped up lately and that visit scared me.  She has been locked out of her parents house for stealing and lying and can't hold a job.  She has admitedly confessed on Facebook that she is addicted to drugs and drinks.  She never, NEVER goes to her Papa's by herself to visit.  Daddy said she came in, hugged his neck and immediately went to the counter where Daddy's bulk medicines from the nursing home were all spread out.  She was really looking them all over.  Daddy knows all that is going on with this girl and he told her to get away from the stuff that it was none of her business.  Am I being a worry wart...I think not.  I texted Sis again that Brit visited Daddy and she replied, "She did.  I don't trust her.  I've told Daddy not to trust her." Really.  Then you need to tell her to STAY AWAY!  (Can't believe she replied, FINALLY!)  

Human Becoming

That is the title of our youngest new ALBUM or EP as they call it.  You can download it on Spotify, Amazon, SoundCloud and ITunes.  

On Amazon I had to type in "Human Becoming Sangster" to find it.  Take a listen to our girl, buy the EP!

Sleep is Overated

It is 5 AM...yes I just wrote that down.  Actually, I have been awake since 4:15 but only just started writing here.  Last night we kept little Miss Snicklefritz overnight and she has slept pretty darn well with a whimper about 1 and again about 4:15.  Yes, that is when I gave it up.  When I wake up in the middle of the night the mind immediately starts whirring and I'm awake anywhere from 5 minutes to HOURS!  This week I've had several of those nights.  So the little princess is snoozing and her Granny is wide awake this morning but it's my usual time to get up anyway.  

She slept all through the night basically and that is a wonderful thing.  Her momma is in the process of trying to wean from the breast.  She has dropped the two middle of the day feedings and last night I was to give breast milk in a bottle but she thought that was a game.  Rio kept biting down on the nipple of the bottle and pulling it between her teeth till it popped out splattering milk on her and me.  Oh, that was great fun but I cringed thinking of her momma!  She laughed and giggled until I'd had enough.  At least she got about an ounce down her then I popped in the pacifier and she was out and has been all night.  The picture above she is eating some of her crunchies and occasionally one would fly off as she pulled it out of her little cup and Clayton was happy to retrieve it for his tummy.  She wore herself out crawling around our kitchen island over and over again.  Someday she will walk it but right now she is faster crawling.  She can walk but just not as steady as she would like.

Friday I was recruited to go with her and her momma to the pediatrician for her 12 month well check up.  She did fantastic and is above in her height right now.  It was also a day of SHOTS!  That face was soon transformed into crying and pain.  Poor baby.  She had 5 shots and then a blood test that they do now by government requirement for lead testing.  She also got the first of two for the flu shot.  I am a HUGE proponent of any kind of vaccinations because I've had a lot of the stuff they vaccinate against and it is not fun.  Mumps, measles, chicken pox, with some of the scars to prove it.  With the chicken pox I also have the dark cloud hanging over my head for shingles.  I know it is painful and her poor little arms looked like a war zone with band aids when we walked out the door but she is just fine today and she has never had a reaction or even swelling from the shots, unlike her momma with swelling and redness.  Rio's immunities are fabulous!  Like her mother she has only had a little virus once and a sniffle, once.  

Oh, and I had my flu vaccination this week too.

DADDY UPDATE:  He is doing marvelous and will come home this week!

Work, Daddy and ART!

Guess, I had better give an update.  Sorry I have been missing here but my mind has just not been wanting to write lately.  

Daddy is mending.  He may go home in a few days and be sort of back to normal, except for the driving bit. We have got to find him a new doctor which has caused a problem through this whole ordeal.  His regular doctor has stage 4 pancreatic cancer and won't be coming back and I think Daddy thought he would.  So we have got to go doctor shopping.  Not a good place to be with that but we will make it happen.  We will get through.

Work has been good but a bit crazy with employees.  That can make you a bit nuts too.  We have made it for 34 years and we will make it through.  It's just crazy to run your business plus be in the middle of contruction projects of your own.  It can make you a bit weary as The Hubby can attest to but we will get through.  

The art stuff is rocking along.  We had a kind of reception on Saturday with about 14 of the lake place ladies there for lunch to see my work.  I sent out probably 100 post cards plus marketing on Facebook, my blog(s), emails,  and leaving postcards places.  I hope it works to get people there and SELL!!!  Also good news is one of my paintings was selected to be in the Philbrook Festival of Trees.  It's kind of a big deal because it is a juried show!  How exciting is that!  

The Good, The Bad and The HAPPY BIRTHDAY

This week has been full of, well, stuff.  Sunday we celebrated little Rio's first birthday which was actually on Tuesday.  I can't believe she is a year old and the joy she has brought into our lives.

Monday was also the opening of my month long show at The Canebrake so my friend Christine helped me to hang all of the 30 paintings I have.  It's so very exciting.  I hope I sell!

Then we were also faced with all the health issues for Daddy.  They moved him from the hospital on Tuesday to a skilled nursing care facility (in a nursing home) and he was NOT happy.  Actually, when they came into his hospital room and told him he did not realize he needed rehab and he thought we kids knew nothing about it.  He was HOT I can tell you and let all of the staff know.  But they called me and then calmed him down.  He is still so very weak and they say that they want him to be able to go back home and be independent again but I not so sure.  He still has the memory things going on and needs so much assistance.  It was a small stroke, I don't know how people go home after a bad one.  It's going to be a long road.  We also need to find him a geriatric doctor.  His regular doctor is no more, as he has cancer.  Daddy had not gone to a doctor for over a year.  I think he thought his doctor was going to come back and be just fine and he would wait but this waiting has put us into a situation that we are going to have to find a doctor for him.  Today I have to call the paper and stop his paper for however long this is going to take.  I have to go get his laundry every few days and take it back clean.  Plus, trying to fit all of this going back and forth in with working, watching Rio and trying to paint (my sanity).  So far the painting has all but stopped and I have a commission I need to finish but I just can't get my mind to sit and do it.  

Life goes on and I will carry on as usual.  

The Show Has Begun!

It's up...my art is hanging...so very cool and I'm so lucky and happy.  I was lucky enough to that my bestie came along to help me.  I could not have done it without her.

This is just one wall.  There are 30 paintings we hung today! 

My bestie and me...whew what a fun time we had. 

Daddy:  He's healing and walking fine, with walker and aid.  We're now waiting for a skilled nursing care bed for more rehab.  

Daddy Update.

Brother and I have taken turns and spent time together during the days with Daddy at the hospital since Tuesday.  They did a CAT scan on Wednesday and yesterday they informed us that he definitely had a small stroke.  They still don't know what is causing the fever, and he's having horrendous headaches but that may be the stroke.  We left yesterday afternoon when the rehab people came in to assess his capabilities so we're not sure how the legs are working but he was flailing them a lot in the ER on Tuesday trying to get comfortable on the bed after about 7 hours.  They only thing we can detect is a bit of confusion sometimes but that only comes up when the fever comes up.  The doctor said that could be part of the stroke too but just don't know.  Daddy told us and the doctors that he was sick for 4 days with fever and had not eaten for the 4 days and I was sure that was what caused the weakness, but...last night I talked to his neighbor and he told me that Daddy was standing out back by the fence yakking to him on Sunday night for about 30 minutes.  Hmmmm, makes me think he is saying this stuff about "4 days of being sick" because of the stroke and that he can't remember.  Makes much more sense.  He's always been kind of liberal with any kind of information, stretching the truth, and such it just seems a bit more wild.  We have to remember this when he tells us stuff and not take anything he says literally.  Anyway, he's still in the hospital at least till Monday when they determine if it's rehab at home or at a center.  

He's Fallen and He Can't Get Up

Yes that was the phone call I received yesterday.  The day started quite innocently and on a very happy note as the scale hit 22 pounds lost for me so far.  I went about my day taking a thank you note to my doctor who has decided to no longer be in the practice of taking care of people like me.  He has chosen to focus on nursing home care...well, I'll probably see him again then!  Then I ordered birthday cakes for Rio, Bri, my mother-in-law and sister-in-law for this weekend.  Then it was home to fix a quick bite for The Hubby and I before my art class.  The night before my Daddy had called to say he had a fever the night before but he was feeling better.  I sent an email yesterday morning telling him to respond but had not received a response by lunch.  That's no unlike him as he doesn't respond sometimes.  But on the way to art class I called him and there was no answer.  Hmmmm, well, that is odd so I sent a text to Bro and Sis to go by and check on him.  They live in the same city so it's easier for them to run by.  I set up my art stuff and began to paint when my cell phone rang with an unknown number.  It was Daddy's neighbor from across the street.  He had fallen and could not get up.  I didn't know the specifics but the ambulance was on the way to take him to the hospital.  EGADDDDDD!

My sweet friends in art class Linda and Sheila quickly packed up my art stuff while I was getting the info from the neighbor and I was on my way to the hospital.  I called Bro and Sis and The Hubby to tell them what had happened.  He was supposed to be taken to SouthCrest-Hillcrest, his fav hospital.  I also called Bri but hated to ruin her birthday.  She was already having a rough day as Rio was in no nap mode and very upset.  

Arriving at the hospital I was met by The Hubby, the first one there.  We went inside and Daddy wasn't there yet.  Sis arrived and Bro had to finish a project he was in the middle of but would be on his way soon.  No problem as we sat for 30 minutes for the ambulance to arrive.  The girl said that they would probably be diverted because their hospital was full. Great do they know where we asked but she had no clue and there was no way to find out if the patient in the ambulance that coming to their door was even Daddy.  I mean really, I was close to downtown Tulsa and made it to 91st and Mingo in a matter of 15 minutes without speeding.  Daddy was just in Broken Arrow how could it take 30-45 minutes.  They had already left his house when I got their.  After waiting for 30 minutes the girl said he had been diverted to St. Francis South, right across the highway from them.  So back in our cars we go to the other hospital.  

Yes, we found him and he was in his little room and very coherent but not well.  He still had a fever and a horrible headache from the high fever.  Sis and I sat with him and waited.  He only had one hearing aid in so we had to be kind of loud to chat.  During the very long wait we find out that he has fallen once a day for 4 days, that he had not eaten for 4 days.  WHAT!  That is not what he had told me.  He apparently he fell going to the bathroom but because he was so weak he couldn't make it.  He was able to crawl to the front door and use his cane to prop open the door and holler to anyone passing to get help from 6:30 in the morning till about 1 when the neighbor finally heard him.  That also meant a mess, if you get my meaning.  The Hubby took his clothes home and washed them (bless him).  We threw away his wallet and The Hubby just happened to have a brand new one to give him.  All this happening and still we waited.

Sis had to make a hair appointment so she left.!?!  Bro and I still waited.  We had not seen a doctor yet but they took x-ray's of his chest to see if he had pneumonia which he didn't.  Then the nurse came in to give him some anti-nausea meds and other stuff.  Asking him and us questions.  They kept asking stuff about whether anyone was hitting or beating him or making him do stuff he didn't want to do.  I tell you I was beginning to feel like they thought we had hurt our father.  I felt, well, kind of defensive for a bit.  Anyway, he started to tell the nurse about a place on his leg groin area that was red and irritated.  WOOO, well, I got a show.  He's has psoriasis and eczema areas in his groin that are NASTY and he's battled them for years but YUCK!  Then she looked at his scar where the hip fiasco was and she was concerned that it was a bit heated and it looks horrible anyway.  Really, it didn't look any different than it has all along.  I think Bro was concerned about it but like I said it didn't look any different.  She asked if he had any sores on his bottom and he said, "Oh yes."  WHAT...that is the first I have heard of that.  It is sort of a bed sore and it is BAD!  Oh my goodness, now I do feel bad.  

The P.A. came in and we asked her when the doctor was going to show up, that we have not been told anything and it was 5 pm.  She introduced herself to us as the P.A. and that Daddy didn't have pneumonia which was good to hear.  She also didn't think the hip area had infection which was also VERY good to know but they are stumped as to why he has a bad infection.  They decided to x-ray his hips to make sure there is no infection or any kind of break.  He wasn't complaining of any kind of pain in his hips is why they didn't before.  

Bro told me to go ahead and go as we were to celebrate Bri's birthday with dinner at her favorite restaurant at India Palace.  I took him up on it and ran.  During dinner he texted that he needed the list of meds that were in Daddy's wallet.  Damn, they were at home.  He was going to have to go to Daddy's and assess the pill bottles and of course get Daddy some clothes.  By the time we were through with dinner and I made it home I was able to text Bro the info and they finally got Daddy into a room.  Still they don't know where the infection is and they are more concerned with Daddy falling.  I wanted to yell, "HE FELL BECAUSE HE HAS HAD A FEVER FOR 4 DAYS AND NOT EATEN FOR 4 DAYS!"  What is wrong with you doctors, it's not anything but that!  

Today, I can't get to the hospital to check on Daddy until this afternoon as I'm in charge of watching Rio while Bri teaches.  But immediately after I will fly there and hopefully they will have all day to find out something.  

This morning I have it set up that Daddy's carpet will be cleaned, YUCK!  and then the house cleaned, ready for him to be home.  Bro has to let them in as I can't be there but they are all paid for!  

Sorry for the ramble but I have to get it out!  I feel like we're in that merry-go-round of hospital crap again.  

Happy Birthday

HAPPY BIRTHDAY

to

my beautiful girl...my oldest turns 34 today!  

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE you!!!!!