Faces of Rocket

Blaine just turned ten back on the 22nd of Dec.  Love this GRANDkid.

My family arrives!!!

Daughters Leslie and LaNae and families left the Dallas area last night about 9:00 PM and arrived at our door this morning at 8:15! Thank You, Jesus!

LaNae is threatening my life if I don’t put the camera away!!

It’s so good to see them all.  Mama Trudy has been so excited to see them all.  It’s been at least two years since she has seen them. 

I had breakfast ready for them.  They ate.  Loved on Mama Trudy and then went to their rented cottage on the mountain for some shut-eye and showers.  They came back this afternoon.

Our little Emma was fascinated by the fireplace.

Camden is getting the typewriter treatment from his daddy.  He loves it.

Upside down tickle time.  Camden hollers and squirms and comes back for more in typical five year old boy fashion.

Son-in-law Khalil is in rare form today.  Must be all that road noise still roaring in his head.   That’s my beautiful baby girl, LaNae.

Emma watching Camden playing a digi-game. Well, maybe she’s telling him how to play it.

Cousin Sammy and his daughter, Sophie, arrive and the second cousins are all introduced for the first time. 

“And this is Camden.”

Sophie doesn’t know what to make of Khalil… weirdo.

My gorgeous first child, Leslie, and her hubby, Khalil.

My crazy son-in-law loves my equally crazy brother, Uncle Jon.

Sitting around eating dinner.

Rocket clowning for Nonna’s camera.  Can’t believe how much Blaine is growing up.  He’s so sweet.

Today is our Lydia’s 14th birthday.  I ordered a cake and ice cream for a party! Leslie lights the candles as Emma asks, “Is this a surprise party?”

Lydia, you better hurry and blow out those candles.  They sure are making a large flame. Notice the look on Camden’s face.

She kept blowing and blowing and they just wouldn’t got out.  Notice how smoky it is in the kitchen. Khalil got a mask so he could breathe.

Sophie entertains herself at her dad’s expense.  Very cute, isn’t he?

Sammy’s a good sport and a good dad.

We were sorry that Sophie’s mommy was sick and couldn’t come to the party.  Her teenage brothers also had other plans.

It’s wonderful to be together with family.  Mama Trudy loved watching the great-grands playing and she loved all the hugs she got.

It was a wonderful day!

Kris update–Happy New Year; New Hopes

Dearest loved ones and friends!

A very Happy New Year to you all, and we pray your Christmas was beautiful and the New Year will be filled with health and happiness!

Our New Year began with the joy of spending a week with Kris out in LaVernia, Texas. I say “our” New Year but, actually, George kept the home fires burning while I flew out last Wednesday. My trip was made even more joyous because our daughter, Diana, and her husband, Jon, flew down from Pennsylvania, too, and we spent six days enjoying a wonderful visit with Kris.

The first day there (Wednesday, January 4), we sort of visited, shared some tears, and got re-acquainted with the nursing staff and others at Country Care Manor. Let me just reiterate something I’ve said before: The nursing staff there at Country Care is outstanding and some of the most caring I’ve had the pleasure of knowing in the field of health care. Knowing the situation will never be perfect because of Kris’s inability to express her needs since she still cannot talk, it remains an efficient, effective nursing care facility because of the nurses and the administrative staff. Of course, I still cannot say enough about Susan, Rene, Heidi and David, the therapy team.

By Friday, it was decided a “road trip” was in order. After lunch, we gathered up Kris, filled a tote bag with the necessary items for the adventure, and off we went. Our first stop was the “still operating” and rustically fascinating S.A.S. Factory. For those novices in the world of shoes (as I was!), that stands for San Antonio Shoe Factory, and the shoes are very popular. Moreover, the shoe factory has been turned into a great tourist spot, with the added attraction of a wide assortment of antique cars. We were all agog!

Our next stop, as you can see by the photo attached, was the infinitely impressive shrine known as The Alamo. We’ve been visiting it with Kris since 1984 (when she first went into the Air Force and was stationed at Lackland AFB in San Antonio), and we continue to enjoy it, especially with all the beautiful upgrades, renovations, and impressiveness of the structure itself. Kris was a trooper and seemed to enjoy the afternoon. She slept very well that night, I’m sure!

On Saturday, Kris’s husband, Russell, had invited all of us to their home for a cookout and some delicious “real” Mexican food. Shortly after the noon hour, we loaded Kris into the rental car again, and off we went to her home right there in LaVernia. It was a lovely day, and Kris enjoyed watching a movie with Andrea, her daughter, and son, Joshua, as well as some other friends who stopped by. Russell made a great grilled brisket and some chicken “something” (I’m no good at remembering all the Mexican names!), while their housekeeper prepared fresh tortillas, pico de gallo (a great chip dip but not sure of the spelling), a rice dish, and pinto beans called... okay, forget what they were called. It was all delicious. I managed to feed Kris a small amount of the beans and rice, and a little red velvet cake, which she enjoyed. (Well, it was mostly the icing from the cake!) She is still trying very hard to eat, but things must be mashed and moist and soft. But there are some problems which leads us to the rest of this email.

Monday, an all important meeting was held with Dr. Elizabeth Johnson, Director of Therapy, at the very beautiful, newly opened Audie Murphy Poly Trauma Center in San Antonio. Diana, Jon and I went with Kris in the transport van and Russell met us there. I had invited Kris’s Air Force case manager to join us, and she in turn invited two other case mangers to join us as well. The “big guns” were present!

The findings were: Kris’s neck continues to be a serious problem. With her head turned to the left and down so much, the muscle tone is simply growing that way. Her wheel chair doesn’t help, and a new one is essential. I asked if they might have something that would recline a bit with a head rest, and Dr. Johnson agreed that would help. Hopefully, they may even find a loaner until one can be assigned permanently to her. She simply must resort to gravity pulling her head up and back when she is in a chair.

Botox injections are a must (once again) now that she is eligible for them. (Three months must lapse between injections, and she is definitely due.) So... Because the Center is already heavily booked, Kris’s Air Force liaison, Darla Sekimoto, suggested she will try to have an appointment made at BAMC, and the doctor agreed. As soon as those injections are made, at least one week must pass before she can be admitted. Kris will then go into the Center as an inpatient for at least two to four weeks for those in depth, stringent therapy sessions (OT, PT and speech therapy), some psychological evaluations, and training in her new wheel chair. They are also contemplating using a very newly designed head/shoulder/neck harness on her to see if it will help. Hopefully, all of this will enable Kris to move forward in her recuperation, and that she can at least be re-trained to communicate in some form using special devices. Some of them may even be the key to her speaking again one day.

After numerous setbacks and some untimely health issues (Kris had pneumonia in late November), the New Year has once again provided us all with a great deal of hope. Russell has been given the go-ahead with house renovations, and that’s going to be a definite uplift in Kris’s spirits to finally see things begin to really happen. Over the past year, there have been so many things presented that gave us all hope, but they seemed to fizzle after a time. (The Pittsburgh trip that might have helped her facial features be restored, and several other possible moves forward that didn’t happen.) After seemingly being in a “one step forward, two steps back” mode, 2012 looks truly promising. And we truly praise God for that.

Our visit ended, as always, much too soon, and with many tears. But the hope of a healing Spring and some real moves in the right direction for Kris has certainly lifted our spirits. Hers will take a bit more time, I’m afraid. Depression set in over the past few months, and we are really praying expecting great things from God! Your prayers, as always, will be deeply appreciated.

Warmest possible New Year wishes, again, and thank you... as always... for your cards, your letters, your emails, your caring. God’s angels are everywhere, and we now have so many working on our side!

Blessings and love,

Carol and George

Shower day

Denise, hospice CAN, came today and helped Mama Trudy with her shower.  Here, she steadies Mama while she combed her hair.

Foggy morning

Can’t see the top of the mountain.

 

Why Did He Do It? ~ Max Lucado

Posted: 02 Jan 2012 10:01 PM PST

He himself likewise shared in flesh and blood, that through death he might destroy the one who had the power of death, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were in bondage. Hebrews 2:15

Why do we do it? Endure the airports, cram the trunks of our cars and SUV’s? You know the answer. We love to be with the ones we love!

It’s the four-year-old running up the sidewalk into the arms of grandpa. The cup of coffee with mom before the rest of the house awakes. That moment when, for a moment, everyone is quiet as we hold hands around the table and thank God for family and friends and pumpkin pie!

We love to be with the ones we love.

May I remind you? So does God. He loves to be with the ones He loves. How else do you explain what He did? Between him and us there was a distance—a great span. And he couldn’t bear it. So he did something about it.

He gave up his place—and made himself—nothing! He did it for you and me.

Out of the bed today!

With help, Mama walked to the living room with her O2 tube trailing, and sat in the recliner for a while this afternoon.

Mama Trudy update

Ok, I'm going to try to organize my thoughts for a Mama Trudy update. It’s been a busy day. We had 3 hospice personnel visits today, including the doctor. Both doctor and nurse insisted that Mama use the oxygen machine especially to help her get over this upper respiratory infection. She was up for awhile when they were here.

She is eating. Meds are helping with coughing. She has coughed so much and so hard that her chest is sore.

Listen. It's quiet. Praying she gets some good rest. We feel your prayers for all of us. God has faithfully provided Don's replacement and he is at peace about it and can't wait to get here. Will arrive the 18th. Having some really sweet times with my mama that I will cherish forever.

God bless you.
LaVon

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Sometimes…

Sometimes, my camera and I walk out the front door, when Mama is asleep, and see what we can capture.

Doubt—An Unwanted Visitor ~ Max Lucado

Posted: 04 Jan 2012 10:01 PM PST

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23

Doubt. He’s a lousy neighbor. An unwanted visitor. An obnoxious guest. And he’ll pester you. He’ll irritate you. He’ll criticize your judgment.

His aim is not to convince you, but to confuse you. He doesn’t offer solutions. Doubt only raises questions.

Had any visit from this fellow lately? If you find yourself going to church in order to be saved and not because you’re saved, then you’ve been listening to him.

If you find yourself doubting that God could forgive you again for that, you’ve been sold some snake oil.

If you’re more cynical about Christians than sincere about Christ, then guess who came to dinner?

I suggest you put a lock on your gate. I suggest you post a “Do not enter” sign on your door! Say no to doubt.

Mama Trudy update email

Mama's coughing has increase starting yesterday. Which means that the congestion around her heart is worse. Coughed most of the night. A lot since before 3:00 AM.  Also, with the coughing she can hardly breathe. Jon is going to call the Dr this morning for diuretic and to start hospice so she'll have a Dr coming here to check her weekly and a nurse will come regularly.

Dizziness is worse with spells of almost passing out. If she's horizontal with eyes closed, she has relief, usually. Spends a lot of time horizontal. However, breathing is more difficult when she's horizontal. It's a catch 22.

She is determined to move around some everyday and so far we haven't missed an evening without playing a little Mexican Train dominos.

She also has not missed a day without reading her Bible. When she can't read, I will read to her. She is still praising God.

Thank you for praying for us.

Because He lives,
LaVon & Don, Mama Trudy and Jon DeRusha

PS. Dr will not prescribe meds without seeing her. If coughing persists, the hospital may be our next move, depending on how quickly hospice will start.

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It’s the South…

New Year’s Eve 2011

This is Timmy, my brother’s fourth born. He and his daughter, AlexAnn, came by before going back to their home in the Nashville area.  It was early and Mama Trudy was still in her robe.

We wondered what AlexAnn was whispering to her dad.

Well, it seems that, if Timmy removes his partial plate, they all three have teeth missing and Alex wanted a picture of the three of them together with teeth missing.  Timmy laughed …. an complied. Why so “no” to such an innocent and cute request.  Love is stronger than vanity, after all. 

Poor Timmy. You can hardly tell that Alex and Mama Trudy are missing teeth! 

I love Timmy’s shoes!

Last picture of Mama Trudy in 2011.

She had a long nap this afternoon, so we played Mexican Train until midnight. Happy New Year!!

A good neighbor

Mama’s neighbor, Iona, came to visit this afternoon, bringing candy.  Iona’s daughter came, also. 

Can you tell, from this picture, how much Mama enjoys company.  She just loves Iona!  Two beautiful Christian ladies.

                      Iona                    Mama

The sunsets behind the mountain.

Mama is making a point to play Mexican Train dominoes as long as she can.  We have played every evening since I have been here. She says it helps her not think about how bad she feels.  Who’s she kidding??? She just loves to beat me!!!

It’s a beautiful day

Today is especially sunny and pretty out.  These pictures are part of the view from Mama’s front porch, looking east.

The top of the ridge. A highway runs along the top of the ridge.

I am passing time looking through old pictures and scrapbooks.

A full page from the newspaper.  Mama has saved this for years.  Now you understand why I am so patriotic.  That’s right folks, we should all teach our children and grandchildren to love our country and … is that a cross in that picture??? Exactly.

Click on this picture and hopefully it will be easier to read in the new window… but come back when you finish reading it.

A clipping from the local newspaper, Sept. 1954, that Mama liked and saved…. all these years.