I pick the latter.
Sunday November 8th I got a call from Kansas saying my dad was in the car and they were taking him to the hospital. Thankfully I was with friends when I got the call so I had some supportive people to help me get through the shock. I love my Dad, I've always been nervous about him living at the ranch alone. It is a wild and lonely place, he kind of likes it that way, but still.
I'm digressing, back to the story..
So, they got him to the local hospital who wasn't really big enough to handle a stroke. They airlifted him to Via Christi in Wichita. He was there a few days then they released him on Wednesday. He was supposed to stay with his sister overnight then go home, but he really wanted to go home. Aunt Penny went with him so he wouldn't be alone. Brian went on to check on Mom in Dodge.
For those who are getting confused, here are the cast of characters:
Mom - June Kliesen, has Alzheimer's disease with Lewey Body Dementia and is in a home in Dodge.
Dad - Gary Kliesen
Aunt Penny - Dad's Sister
Aunt Judi - Dad's Baby Sister
Brian Kliesen - My twin brother, only slightly younger than I am.
Joel Kliesen - Our youngest brother, slightly less than 2 years behind Brian and I.
DJ Kliesen - My sister-in-law, Brian's wife. There is no end to her awesomeness.
Rori Kliesen - My niece, daughter and oldest child of Brian & DJ. She is 3 years old and full of everything Spectacular!
Lucas Kliesen - My nephew, son and youngest child of Brian & DJ. He is 2 years old and also full of Awesome!
There are also various cousins involved who adore my father, also known as Mr. Wonderful.
Caught up yet? O.K. moving on.
So Brian went to check on mom in Dodge, Aunt Penny stayed with Daddy and took him to see a Speech therapist in Ashland.
I landed in Wichita Mid-continent airport around noon Friday. My friend Melissa helped me get tickets and connections straight. She is amazing too!
My cousin, Jill, picked me up from the airport and it was nice to get caught up with her and her family. My other cousin Jamie volunteered to drive me half way to the ranch to meet Brian so he wouldn't have to drive all the way to Wichita to get me. He had driven more than 1500 miles in the last few days and I am quite sure he was exhausted.
We got back to the ranch around 9:30. the kids were still up as was Grandpa, AKA. Dad. He was exhausted and went to bed soon after we arrived. The kids were excited to have one more audience member but went to bed not too long after Dad did.
Dad has been uncooperative when taking his medicine, but we thought we would eventually get him to take them. Yeah, we thought... Sigh, I am still trying to get them into him.
His appetite is great, an improvement over the past few years. He has lost quite a bit of weight which is good, but he has also lost strength. We need to build that back up along with his speaking ability. His motor skills and dexterity are really good. Physically you can barely tell he has had a stroke at all. The stroke affected his deep brain tissue. He needs to re-path his synapses in the speech & analyzing center of his brain. This takes practice, no more than 15-30 minutes at a time with plenty of time to rest between exercises.
It is really hard to see such a vibrant, larger than life person in this state. I cried for quite awhile after everyone left. Brian, DJ & the kids went to Dodge to spend Saturday with Mom. We have not told Mom about Dad's stroke. She is having a tough time with the dementia and the hallucinations associated with the Lewey body part of the equation. Anything that upsets her has the probability of bringing on a pretty bad hallucination or nightmare. We have told her that Dad has a bad cold and doesn't want to bring it into the home where people could catch it.
We are hoping to be able to go see her Wednesday.
More updates to follow.
Love,
Brenda
Monday, November 16, 2015
Monday, September 28, 2015
Waiting for Biopsy results...
So I had 3 moles removed last Thursday.
I didn't have a skin check until next month but one of said moles had broken open and bled. This is what happened when I found the first cancer.
Fortunately my Dermatologist is Awesome and let me do the skin check a month early so I don't have to go back in October.
Unfortunately the biopsy results aren't back yet. All of my scans have been clear so I'm not too worried, but you know how it is. There is always that little crumb of doubt in the back of your mind once you have had cancer that says, "I'm baaaaaaack!" I would really love to beat the crap out of that little bit of doubt.
Stupid doubt! You suck!
I have 3 holes that are healing. The worrisome one is on my right arm, the one that broke open, just below my elbow. There is one on my forehead at the hairline, that one actually hurts a little. The last one is on my back. That one doesn't hurt in the least. Now I just need to get my mind off of the spot on my arm. Any ideas out there? Anyone?
If you know a good joke, toss it my way.
On the up side, my girl Zoe is happy and healthy and she is the best little cuddle bug in the world. So is my little Freddi. Sadly Freddi is camera shy.
I also managed, with the help of a co-worker, to get 8' of my porch floor replaced & painted Saturday. Hooray!
Saturday was good, but I am sore, it is a good sore, but I'm sore and stiff. I put another coat on Sunday so now there are 3 coats of paint and it is looking really good. I like the color and the porch floor is about a quarter finished. I still have to sand and paint the other part, the ceiling, sky blue, the porch swing, and the railing.
More photos to come.
I didn't have a skin check until next month but one of said moles had broken open and bled. This is what happened when I found the first cancer.
Fortunately my Dermatologist is Awesome and let me do the skin check a month early so I don't have to go back in October.
Unfortunately the biopsy results aren't back yet. All of my scans have been clear so I'm not too worried, but you know how it is. There is always that little crumb of doubt in the back of your mind once you have had cancer that says, "I'm baaaaaaack!" I would really love to beat the crap out of that little bit of doubt.
Stupid doubt! You suck!
I have 3 holes that are healing. The worrisome one is on my right arm, the one that broke open, just below my elbow. There is one on my forehead at the hairline, that one actually hurts a little. The last one is on my back. That one doesn't hurt in the least. Now I just need to get my mind off of the spot on my arm. Any ideas out there? Anyone?
If you know a good joke, toss it my way.
On the up side, my girl Zoe is happy and healthy and she is the best little cuddle bug in the world. So is my little Freddi. Sadly Freddi is camera shy.
I also managed, with the help of a co-worker, to get 8' of my porch floor replaced & painted Saturday. Hooray!
after the install but before the paint
One small strip still needs installed, but the rest I painted.
More photos to come.
Thursday, September 24, 2015
Garage Saga
Good afternoon all! I hope this post finds you all well and healthy. My life has been pretty dull of late. I've been waiting on some construction to be completed on my garage.
Last spring, March 15th to be exact, a gentleman fell asleep at the wheel and drove into my garage. My garage was a small grocery store in the 1920's and is brick. It is quite sturdy so when I say he almost totaled it I mean it.
We figure he had to be going between 40-45 minimum to do the damage he did. He was driving a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. He was so lucky to be unconscious when he hit as his body was relaxed. Even in his relaxed state it was a miracle he walked away from that horrid wreck. He hit the corner of the building head on then flipped around and hit the whole front of the building with the length of his SUV. He totaled the front of the building and about half of a side wall.
I called my insurance company to discuss the damage. When I got his insurance information I called his Insurance people and got them in touch with my insurance people. This has been an ongoing saga for several months. Both companies are quite sure I did NOT suddenly move my garage into the road to get hit so they've been really good there.
It took several months to get a contractor hired, Liberty Mutual wanted some of his preferred contractors to take a look. Meanwhile I'm living with the above mess which the city kindly boarded up for me at a cost of almost $500.00.
I found one contractor on-line and another from previous experience. The numbers came in and I finally hired a contractor in May. I won't bore you with too many details, but the Liberty Mutual preferred contractor refused to deal with me and would only deal with Liberty Mutual. His bid was also double what everyone else's numbers were. Needless to say he was not hired.
So, contractor on board - Check!
Garage still there - Check!
Garage door deposit paid & ordered - Check!
Permit from the city to begin work - Yeah, Right! Apparently they are swamped and can't get to it anytime soon. They mentioned that it would be 4-6 weeks before they can review and approve out permit. 4-6 weeks took more than 2 months. Then they refused to send it to the contractor. They had to go pick it up!
Demolition finally begins mid August. Masonry work begins a few days later and is finished in less than 2 weeks! Woo-Hooo! Oh yes, it should be said that the masonry crew was amazing! They were nice guys, pretty tidy, and incredibly polite. It was also really cool to wake up one Saturday morning to hear them listening to disco music. I giggled for about 15 minutes over that.
Damn, we are back to being in a holding pattern as the garage door folks did not in fact order the door when the deposit was paid. It'll be another two weeks waiting on the door. Meanwhile my garage is sitting wide open for all the world to view its innards. I happen to know it was feeling as vulnerable as I was. The masonry work was looking fabulous, but there was this large 12' wide by 8' high opening that needed to be closed. It was stuck in the midst of a perpetual yawn with no power, no fence, & no protection from thieves and drug dealers. I am quite sure both perused the garage interior while it was wide open when I wasn't looking. I have found evidence that the garage was occupied when I wasn't home. Garrrumph!
It isn't easy to see, but the circuit board is broken on the lower right corner. Now I have to get estimates for a new operator, order it and get it installed. Sigh! (I finally got the approval to order it today. A check should be on its way to me as I type this.)
Now my garage is feeling better about being closed up but it isn't necessarily useful yet. Once the operator goes in and the power is connected things will be better. I just need to be patient.
It should be noted that there was a 1' x 4' 2 lamp industrial fluorescent fixture sitting against the wall the entire time the garage was wide open. Said fixture used to hang above my work bench. I know it was there the day the garage door went in because I sat by it thinking I should get on the ladder and hang it back up where it belonged. The white gate also went in the day before. Someone waited until the door was in, & the gate was in to steal the fixture. It should be noted that this was a 5 year old $20.00, (or less,) fixture from home depot. It isn't super awesome or expensive. It was merely functional. Some douche had to open the gate, move my trash cans out of the way, & open the side door to steal that fixture. I've had the garage door locked since it went in. It seems like a lot of effort to steal something that really can't be readily fenced for cash to buy drugs.
So here I sit, waiting for my garage door operator so that I will be able to use my garage door again. Hell, it has been 5.5 months, what is a few more weeks?
I do have to say the contractor has been great. I mostly speak with his wife and she is spectacular! They are definitely getting a really good review from me. I'll try to put up a post when it is all finished. I think a party to christen the new garage will be in order.
Oh yes, I am just about 30 days from being 3 years cancer free!!! Woo-Hooo! That is definitely worth a little happy dance.
Oh and another bit of coolness I got in my e-mail today is a small off grid, 3D printed house and vehicle with two way battery system.
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7634251-skidmore-owings-merrill-3d-printed-building/
Check it out!
Last spring, March 15th to be exact, a gentleman fell asleep at the wheel and drove into my garage. My garage was a small grocery store in the 1920's and is brick. It is quite sturdy so when I say he almost totaled it I mean it.
We figure he had to be going between 40-45 minimum to do the damage he did. He was driving a 1997 Jeep Cherokee. He was so lucky to be unconscious when he hit as his body was relaxed. Even in his relaxed state it was a miracle he walked away from that horrid wreck. He hit the corner of the building head on then flipped around and hit the whole front of the building with the length of his SUV. He totaled the front of the building and about half of a side wall.
I called my insurance company to discuss the damage. When I got his insurance information I called his Insurance people and got them in touch with my insurance people. This has been an ongoing saga for several months. Both companies are quite sure I did NOT suddenly move my garage into the road to get hit so they've been really good there.
It took several months to get a contractor hired, Liberty Mutual wanted some of his preferred contractors to take a look. Meanwhile I'm living with the above mess which the city kindly boarded up for me at a cost of almost $500.00.
I found one contractor on-line and another from previous experience. The numbers came in and I finally hired a contractor in May. I won't bore you with too many details, but the Liberty Mutual preferred contractor refused to deal with me and would only deal with Liberty Mutual. His bid was also double what everyone else's numbers were. Needless to say he was not hired.
So, contractor on board - Check!
Garage still there - Check!
Garage door deposit paid & ordered - Check!
Permit from the city to begin work - Yeah, Right! Apparently they are swamped and can't get to it anytime soon. They mentioned that it would be 4-6 weeks before they can review and approve out permit. 4-6 weeks took more than 2 months. Then they refused to send it to the contractor. They had to go pick it up!
Demolition finally begins mid August. Masonry work begins a few days later and is finished in less than 2 weeks! Woo-Hooo! Oh yes, it should be said that the masonry crew was amazing! They were nice guys, pretty tidy, and incredibly polite. It was also really cool to wake up one Saturday morning to hear them listening to disco music. I giggled for about 15 minutes over that.
Damn, we are back to being in a holding pattern as the garage door folks did not in fact order the door when the deposit was paid. It'll be another two weeks waiting on the door. Meanwhile my garage is sitting wide open for all the world to view its innards. I happen to know it was feeling as vulnerable as I was. The masonry work was looking fabulous, but there was this large 12' wide by 8' high opening that needed to be closed. It was stuck in the midst of a perpetual yawn with no power, no fence, & no protection from thieves and drug dealers. I am quite sure both perused the garage interior while it was wide open when I wasn't looking. I have found evidence that the garage was occupied when I wasn't home. Garrrumph!
The door finally arrived September 11th. The installer was spectacular and did a great job! That is, until we tried to test it. Back when the garage was torn up from the accident, the door folks came out to check things out and the operator was still working. I suspect it was depressed at having its door gone for so long that it committed suicide.
Now my garage is feeling better about being closed up but it isn't necessarily useful yet. Once the operator goes in and the power is connected things will be better. I just need to be patient.
It should be noted that there was a 1' x 4' 2 lamp industrial fluorescent fixture sitting against the wall the entire time the garage was wide open. Said fixture used to hang above my work bench. I know it was there the day the garage door went in because I sat by it thinking I should get on the ladder and hang it back up where it belonged. The white gate also went in the day before. Someone waited until the door was in, & the gate was in to steal the fixture. It should be noted that this was a 5 year old $20.00, (or less,) fixture from home depot. It isn't super awesome or expensive. It was merely functional. Some douche had to open the gate, move my trash cans out of the way, & open the side door to steal that fixture. I've had the garage door locked since it went in. It seems like a lot of effort to steal something that really can't be readily fenced for cash to buy drugs.
So here I sit, waiting for my garage door operator so that I will be able to use my garage door again. Hell, it has been 5.5 months, what is a few more weeks?
I do have to say the contractor has been great. I mostly speak with his wife and she is spectacular! They are definitely getting a really good review from me. I'll try to put up a post when it is all finished. I think a party to christen the new garage will be in order.
Oh yes, I am just about 30 days from being 3 years cancer free!!! Woo-Hooo! That is definitely worth a little happy dance.
Oh and another bit of coolness I got in my e-mail today is a small off grid, 3D printed house and vehicle with two way battery system.
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7634251-skidmore-owings-merrill-3d-printed-building/
Check it out!
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