...are sometimes extremely sudden, unexpected, and unhappy.
Monday Grandpa went to the doctor. Tuesday morning the telephone rang. Doctor's orders: take him to the ER; his hemoglobin (red-blood cell) levels are way down. [That explains why he'd been dizzy.] So Mama, Daddy, and Grandma took him to the hospital--that was the start of a very unusual week.
Before I chronicle the week, I will tell you what is wrong with Grandpa. He has cancer. In his liver and colon. They were supposed to do a CAT scan on his lungs to make sure he didn't have any cancer there. We haven't heard the result of that yet. Today they are doing a colon biopsy. We still don't know whether he comes home or not...that really hasn't been discussed. Those who have spent the last 3 days at the hospital have had a lot of emotional stress, as have those of us at home, but I imagine that it's worse actually sitting around in the waiting room and ICU than it is at home--where we have been busy with life.
Tuesday, Savannah was sick so I cooked lunch and dinner--nothing exciting about either meal. Ran food over to Granddaddy, took myself to my therapy appointment, and read. I was going to go ride Snip, but I didn't feel like it after getting the news about Grandpa. I was also going to feed Granddaddy's cows...but Daddy had the keys for the pick-up in his pocket so I couldn't. Katherine and I visited with Aunt Laurie and Uncle Dave for a while (they were down here on vacation) and got home in time for me to wash the dishes at lightening speed (heh...I don't think I can actually move that fast). After everyone had bathed we piled ourselves in front of the TV for NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. The first one was quite interesting and kind of strange. I am rather fond of Gibbs :)
Wedensday: What came first? I think I read some more. (Mom got me a book called Rebel Storehouse about Florida during the War. It is a good book--even though I haven't got to the Cow Cavalry yet.) Savannah made lunch (she was better) and we both took it over to Granddaddy for lunch. After that we came home and we ate lunch and headed off for therapy. On the way home we stopped at the store for a few groceries. I turned around and immediately headed off to ride Snip. He behaved better than had on Monday. [Monday he acted really, really wierd. He was behaving normally until we got to the back pasture. I know it wasn't the cows because they have never bothered him before. He stopped and would not move. I'd kick and kick and kick and more likely than not, he either stepped sideways or half bucked. Once he would finally move, if I kicked him again (to get him out of a walk), he stopped. This went on for quite a while before I decided to take him into a different pasture. This other pasture also borders the same ditch, so if there was something in the ditch that was bothering him, it would explain why he acted the same way in this other pasture. Finally I got him into a lope and took him out of that pasture into the front pasture. Once there he behaved himself fairly well (if you subtract the "Hey, it's quittin' time! I want my food!"). Anyway, it was really weird. He had never behaved like that before.] Anyway, Wedensday he gave me one more serious buck and once I got resettled in my seat I backed him up and backed him up and backed up. He behaved much better after that. (Backing is not his favorite thing in the world.)
From there I went to Granddaddy's and fed the cows (Daddy left me the keys :) ). Savannah brought over his supper and I left after a bit.
Thursday (yesterday) I spent the morning reading. Savannah had gone down to see Grandpa that morning and Grandma had been left at home, still being asleep at 10 'clock. She needed to sleep so Mom decided that they'd come home at lunch time and then take Grandma down after lunch. I wasn't feeling to perky so Katherine made Granddaddy's omelette. Being the only one home with a drivers licence, I took it over and watched him eat and then washed the dishes. He was watching 'Cannon' (a old TV show) and so I did too. Cannon was using a Snubbie ;)
From there I went home, ate lunch and then headed off for my final physical therapy appointment. I had a chuckle at a teenage redneck's expense while there. Maybe the poor fella didn't know I was laughing at his predicament... John (the head therapist) said I looked like Wendy (of the fast food chain) because I had my hair in pigtail braids. I don't even like Wendy's! He's funny though. I wore my spurs in since I was headed for the place I keep my horse afterwards (I did go home first to pick up the truck), and we got to talking about how the left spur slips down if it isn't cinched up almost too tight. (My left foot is just that much smaller.) And he actually got down and messed with them while I was riding the arm bike. I think he's done some riding over the course of his life. He also told me to continue wearing the brace while I ride. I'll take it off eventually...I was hoping that I could quit using it when I rode.
After riding Snip I went to Granddad's. Those goofy cows started running before they even saw the truck. They heard it coming and took off to meet it up by the barn. Granddaddy was sitting outside waiting on me to show up. As I loaded the feed, he began his slow transit across the yard. I had one black cow that was eating straight out of the bag as I dumped the feed out. I couldn't get rid of her! Anyway, that was kind of funny. Leaving the pasture, 'Bad Child' (so named for her ornery fence breaking last year) came running up behind the truck. I hollered, "Git out of here, Bad Child. I don't have anymore!" She bucked up and went back to the crush. Goofy cow.
I told Granddaddy, "Somebody will be over in a minute with some supper." (I honestly believed this.) I got home and found out everyone thought I was going to feed him! He did have left over omelette, but I figured they fix him something else. So Mom cut up half a tomato and gave me his chocolate stuff (a sneaky means of getting coconut oil into him) and sent me back over. I warmed up his omelette, some rice and chicken that was there and fed him that along with the tomato. He ate everything but the omelette. Then I gave him some chocolate (he loves chocolate) and came home. Whew. Yesterday afternoon certainly was something of a whirlwind. At least for me.
I wanted to go down and see Grandpa this morning, but I also wanted to be home this afternoon (horse and cows), and on top of that I needed to wash my hair. So obviously, I didn't go. Maybe tomorrow...
Monday Grandpa went to the doctor. Tuesday morning the telephone rang. Doctor's orders: take him to the ER; his hemoglobin (red-blood cell) levels are way down. [That explains why he'd been dizzy.] So Mama, Daddy, and Grandma took him to the hospital--that was the start of a very unusual week.
Before I chronicle the week, I will tell you what is wrong with Grandpa. He has cancer. In his liver and colon. They were supposed to do a CAT scan on his lungs to make sure he didn't have any cancer there. We haven't heard the result of that yet. Today they are doing a colon biopsy. We still don't know whether he comes home or not...that really hasn't been discussed. Those who have spent the last 3 days at the hospital have had a lot of emotional stress, as have those of us at home, but I imagine that it's worse actually sitting around in the waiting room and ICU than it is at home--where we have been busy with life.
Tuesday, Savannah was sick so I cooked lunch and dinner--nothing exciting about either meal. Ran food over to Granddaddy, took myself to my therapy appointment, and read. I was going to go ride Snip, but I didn't feel like it after getting the news about Grandpa. I was also going to feed Granddaddy's cows...but Daddy had the keys for the pick-up in his pocket so I couldn't. Katherine and I visited with Aunt Laurie and Uncle Dave for a while (they were down here on vacation) and got home in time for me to wash the dishes at lightening speed (heh...I don't think I can actually move that fast). After everyone had bathed we piled ourselves in front of the TV for NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. The first one was quite interesting and kind of strange. I am rather fond of Gibbs :)
Wedensday: What came first? I think I read some more. (Mom got me a book called Rebel Storehouse about Florida during the War. It is a good book--even though I haven't got to the Cow Cavalry yet.) Savannah made lunch (she was better) and we both took it over to Granddaddy for lunch. After that we came home and we ate lunch and headed off for therapy. On the way home we stopped at the store for a few groceries. I turned around and immediately headed off to ride Snip. He behaved better than had on Monday. [Monday he acted really, really wierd. He was behaving normally until we got to the back pasture. I know it wasn't the cows because they have never bothered him before. He stopped and would not move. I'd kick and kick and kick and more likely than not, he either stepped sideways or half bucked. Once he would finally move, if I kicked him again (to get him out of a walk), he stopped. This went on for quite a while before I decided to take him into a different pasture. This other pasture also borders the same ditch, so if there was something in the ditch that was bothering him, it would explain why he acted the same way in this other pasture. Finally I got him into a lope and took him out of that pasture into the front pasture. Once there he behaved himself fairly well (if you subtract the "Hey, it's quittin' time! I want my food!"). Anyway, it was really weird. He had never behaved like that before.] Anyway, Wedensday he gave me one more serious buck and once I got resettled in my seat I backed him up and backed him up and backed up. He behaved much better after that. (Backing is not his favorite thing in the world.)
From there I went to Granddaddy's and fed the cows (Daddy left me the keys :) ). Savannah brought over his supper and I left after a bit.
Thursday (yesterday) I spent the morning reading. Savannah had gone down to see Grandpa that morning and Grandma had been left at home, still being asleep at 10 'clock. She needed to sleep so Mom decided that they'd come home at lunch time and then take Grandma down after lunch. I wasn't feeling to perky so Katherine made Granddaddy's omelette. Being the only one home with a drivers licence, I took it over and watched him eat and then washed the dishes. He was watching 'Cannon' (a old TV show) and so I did too. Cannon was using a Snubbie ;)
From there I went home, ate lunch and then headed off for my final physical therapy appointment. I had a chuckle at a teenage redneck's expense while there. Maybe the poor fella didn't know I was laughing at his predicament... John (the head therapist) said I looked like Wendy (of the fast food chain) because I had my hair in pigtail braids. I don't even like Wendy's! He's funny though. I wore my spurs in since I was headed for the place I keep my horse afterwards (I did go home first to pick up the truck), and we got to talking about how the left spur slips down if it isn't cinched up almost too tight. (My left foot is just that much smaller.) And he actually got down and messed with them while I was riding the arm bike. I think he's done some riding over the course of his life. He also told me to continue wearing the brace while I ride. I'll take it off eventually...I was hoping that I could quit using it when I rode.
After riding Snip I went to Granddad's. Those goofy cows started running before they even saw the truck. They heard it coming and took off to meet it up by the barn. Granddaddy was sitting outside waiting on me to show up. As I loaded the feed, he began his slow transit across the yard. I had one black cow that was eating straight out of the bag as I dumped the feed out. I couldn't get rid of her! Anyway, that was kind of funny. Leaving the pasture, 'Bad Child' (so named for her ornery fence breaking last year) came running up behind the truck. I hollered, "Git out of here, Bad Child. I don't have anymore!" She bucked up and went back to the crush. Goofy cow.
I told Granddaddy, "Somebody will be over in a minute with some supper." (I honestly believed this.) I got home and found out everyone thought I was going to feed him! He did have left over omelette, but I figured they fix him something else. So Mom cut up half a tomato and gave me his chocolate stuff (a sneaky means of getting coconut oil into him) and sent me back over. I warmed up his omelette, some rice and chicken that was there and fed him that along with the tomato. He ate everything but the omelette. Then I gave him some chocolate (he loves chocolate) and came home. Whew. Yesterday afternoon certainly was something of a whirlwind. At least for me.
I wanted to go down and see Grandpa this morning, but I also wanted to be home this afternoon (horse and cows), and on top of that I needed to wash my hair. So obviously, I didn't go. Maybe tomorrow...
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