Adventures of a Tribe

Changes

Posted on September 14, 2015

This was an especially beautiful Sabbath. The sky stretched blue clear across the sky like a giant picnic blanket, and an ever so slight breeze meandered through, just barely strong enough to stir the weeping birch leaves. As I stepped outside a morning dove called as if to welcome me to the day, and I stretched breathing it all in. What a glorious feeling. To breathe fresh air with healthy lungs…what a gift.

Mommy was restless last night, and Jan didn’t do too well either, so they slept in a bit, which was really good for our Momma. Jan was pretty funny, when I went to him this morning to give him meds, he said that in the middle of the night, Mommy woke him up asking if he was hungry for a banana. He thought it was so funny that she’d wake him from a deep sleep to ask that, and I made her promise me that tonight she will just let him sleep.

We tried a new flavor of potato chips today, and we all agreed that they probably should not have attempted this one.

We love gyros, but these tasted like dirty socks from a boys locker room.  (no I don’t go around chomping on locker room socks…but if I did, they’d taste like these chips!) Try it and see what you think!

Jan’s son, Jared, and his beautiful fiance, Katie, came to spend the day with us. Jared needed help on an assignment for his family history class, and since our Mom is the queen at genealogy, he knew where to come. It was good to visit with them. Mommy had a rough time as she changed Daddy’s status from ‘living’ to ‘deceased’ in the computer. I hugged her and told her that deceased is really not the accurate word, as he is very much alive and well.

To put a smile on her face a short time later, she was walking into the kitchen, and I was about to shower, so I asked her to stop a minute because I needed to show her something…I had her cup both her hands and began placing the plums I picked, one by one in to her hands.

She asked what it was for, so I told her I’m showing her a trick, and continued placing every last plum in her hands. At that point I washed the bowl out, flipped it upside down on the counter and went to go shower. She stood laughing, with her arms loaded up. The last thing I heard before shutting the bathroom door, was, ‘Emma can you come help me, your mom is a brat!’ I have always worn that title proudly and try to live up to it.

Bernadine and her family came over this afternoon, and together we enjoyed a delicious curry dish that Mommy made. Jan slept on and off in the big chair in the living room, and after everyone left we sat talking for a while. He expressed how he hates the fogginess in his head, the dizziness and shaky feeling, and wishes he could just clear his head. We spoke about the medications he is on, the radiation he’s had, and the tumors in his head and armpit. He decided that he wants to stop taking all medication dealing with the cancer. We will continue with his diabetes meds but all else will be stopped. He wants to be able to feel what he is really feeling, not live on what the drugs are making him feel. If his headaches return we can treat him for pain. I respect Jan in his decision. As a family, we all do, and will continue to keep him positive and comfortable.

After our talk he felt like a drive, so him, mommy and I went for a drive in the country with the windows down.  It was beautiful watching the light slowly dim over the valley, making harvested fields look golden, and alfalfa fields a deeper green.

The blueness of the sky was slowly replaced by a blanket of yellow and orange, and once again the world around us is gently tucked into bed for a good nights sleep.