aaarrrggghhh...

Spent the morning with Sam.  He was up and eating breakfast when I arrived and was so happy to see me.  The doctors are rethinking the surgery option.  Sam has one artery on the back of his leg which is occluded.  His family doctor and his vascular surgeon were the ones discussing this, according to the nurse, but no one's telling Sam anything.  Hospitals can be so frustrating.  I know each person is doing the best they can; I know there are so many patients .... but when all you do is lie around waiting to see a doctor that may or may not show up, it's frustrating.  The nurses were very sweet and very kind.  They did as much as they could........

Besides the aggravation, Sam is doing good.  He was in quite the talkative mood today.  I do often wonder how much I should share about what he tells me, which is why I tend to generalize.  He was talking a great deal today about his time in the Army and the years he was at the Pentagon.  I find it all fascinating, and I love hearing his stories.  Being in the hospital though also brought some sad memories.  It was at this same hospital that his best friend died (from cancer) some twenty years ago; Sam then brought up his wife's illness and ultimate death as well.  On a positive note though, thinking of his old friend reminded him of a time when he and the friend were on their way home from hunting and stopped in at a Mexican bar.  It was one of their favorite watering holes back in the day ...  but on this particular day, as they were entering a man ran out of the door and smacked into Sam.  Then there was a gunshot.  At the time, it was quite scary, but looking back on it, Sam now laughs at how scared he and his friend were.  He also notes that he has not been back into a Mexican bar since.  (by Mexican bar, Sam means a bar down in Mexico)  Oh, and then speaking of the bar reminded him to tell me that one of his very first jobs was hauling beer.  He was around twelve or thirteen, and he would drive out to the brewery in a '37 pickup truck.  After the truck was loaded, the men would remark, "There you go little Sammy, get it to town." ... and off he'd go.  He said the men in town had to have their beer.
I love how his bright blue eyes light up when he tells a happy story.....

Scandanavian...

I think, because he's Norwegian, Sam likes the fact that I am Scandanavian.  I think he would like it better if I were Norwegian instead of Swedish, but hey,  it's close.  We've laughed about that old Amercian Express commercial where the father and son go off to Sweden to search their roots ... only to discover that they're Norwegian.  hahahaha.....  He often tells me I look Scandanavian.  Sam loves talking about his family and his family's background.  Off to see him this morning.......

Sam's in the hospital ...

Sam is back in the hospital, but hopefully not for long.  I was with him Tuesday morning, and he was not feeling good at all.  Thankfully he had a doctor's appointment that afternoon.  The doctor sent him over to the hospital for tests and decided to keep him overnight.  He was having problems with a sore on the bottom of his foot.  Sam has problems with the circulation in his legs, and this causes a few problems and pain for him.  He met with a vascular surgeon today and got good news.  He may or may not need surgery in the future, but for now ... no surgery!  He's good to go, and he should soon be out of the hospital.  I spent yesterday evening with him, and I'll be going to see him again in the morning.  (I had other commitments today, so I was unable to visit him.  Checked in with him, but that was all I was able to do....)
Keep him in your prayers please.  Thanks!

My Sam....

This happened a while back, but someone mentioned that I should go back and find it.  I posted this on facebook on June 27th:



yesterday I took Sam, the elderly gentleman that I take care of, out for a drive. He lived here 20 yrs ago and then retired to FL. After his wife died in Aug, he moved back. b/c of his health, he has not been out much except to go to the drs


on our drive, he was so cute ... he commented on EVERYTHING. If it was old, he remembered it, if it was new, he was amazed by it. His enthusiasm reminded me of how we should all see the world around us.


I love spending time with Sam. He talks about his wife of 61 years, their courtship, their life, their family, his years working at the pentagon, his wife's life as an "Army Wife" ... it's amazing I get paid for this.


Two of the biggest reasons Sam moved back here are his daughter and grand daughter, and they do check in with him often, and they do stop by ... but b/c they are also both busy with their own lives, they have hired others (me) to help take a lot of the burden off of them. Perhaps that way I can do more of the 'needed' things, and they can do more of the 'fun' things. anyway, I do love it.

getting busy ... well, maybe. hopefully.

I've got a couple jobs lined up for this weekend, and one for next weekend.

I have one friend who will be out of town for the weekend, and she has five doggies.  One or two a bit older.  She doesn't want to leave them alone, so I will be spending the nights at her house with her pets.  During the day, I'll be in and out taking care of them and checking on them, but she mainly wants someone with them over night.

She's so sweet; she informed me that she will have clean sheets on her guest room bed.  I informed her that I would more than likely fall asleep on her couch with her animals while watching tv.

Another woman, I have yet to meet  (I'm going over to her house tomorrow) will also be out of town this weekend.  She has a small terrier (Bambi) and a cat.  She doesn't want me to spend the night, but she does want me to check in a few times each day.  I'll be playing with Bambi and taking him out for a walk.

And, of course, I still have Sam who I sit with each weekend morning.  I love Sam.  He is so cute, especially now that he is a great-grandpa.  His great granddaughter is (of course) the most precious, adorable little girl ever.  If you don't believe me, just ask him.  His wife, his granddaughter and now his great granddaughter all had the same weight when they were born.  I think that is remarkable.  (So does Sam)  Sam has a book from the 1930's in which his wife and his wife's sister had their stats recorded.  Their weight, their height, head size, etc. all recorded from the 1930's, and Sam still has the book.  He's passing it on to his granddaughter so she can add her baby to the record.  Every couple of years, his wife and her sister would sign their names and date their signatures.  It's fun to see the differences in their signatures as they grow and mature.  These little girls signing their names never knowing that someday seventy-odd years later, I would be interested.....

I truly do love people.  So much to learn.  So much to share.
I thank God for this opportunity ... this life.

link ...

I added a link to my blog page ... and hopefully over time I will add a few more.  things I find helpful, fun, interesting or whatever I feel like.  (hey, it is my blog after all.)

This first link tells about a book my wonderful, warm mentor recommended I should read.  I have it.  I have not read it.  I've actually been busy the last few days, but hopefully over this weekend, I will get started on the book.

help...

I have slowly begun to start my own little business.  It's a business of pet sitting and people sitting.  Being the procrastinator that I am, it's been taking me a while to get up and going.  Being in need of employment, I've been attempting to get things accomplished.

My mom has always taught me that God takes care of the stupid, and I believe God has been taking care of me.  A wonderful lady has come into my life.  She started her pet sitting company back in 1989.  She read about me in a small local newspaper out here, and she contacted me.  She was kind enough and warm enough to take me under her wing.  This wonderful woman wants to help me and mentor me.  I think it's no accident that God put her into my life.

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet.
~~ Edith Wharton


OK, so mine is more like a heartbeat in my lap, but it's still a great quote.

eeek!!

I'm both excited and scared.  Starting a new chapter in life is never easy ... I've had so many things going on in my head and in my heart, and now God is pushing me to make it all a reality.  He is sending me the people and the help that I need exactly when I need it.  God willing, this is going to all work out!!