Gift of Health

We take our good health for granted, and fret over little health issues we each have, until we are "hit over the head", so to speak, and have to face loved ones who are having health problems, much worse than your own.

My side of the family over the last several years have suffered losses, and health problems of loved ones.

Now health issues are affecting my husbands family. His cousin, who is 81, just was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and has been moved to Hospice soon after her diagnosis. It is inoperable, and the Doctor doesn't recommend chemo for her. This has been very hard for her to get her mind around, as she has always lived alone, and been a very independent woman, who never wants to get help from anyone. I told her that the time has come when she needs to accept help from others, and look at it as God's Gift to her. I visited her in her new home on Thursday before leaving town...and again yesterday. She is in The Solvay Hospice Home that was just built and opened last fall. I had never seen it, but it is an absolutely beautiful place. Every patient has their own room, and the room is big. She gets excellent care there. There are many amendities for both the patients and their families. We are so thankful that she is able to be there.
For more info and to see photos of this house - look at this web site: http://www.mdfoundation.org/hospice/

Bob's sister, who lives in California has been having major problems the last few months with both her heart and her lungs. We are very worried about her, she has been in and out of the hospital on a regular basis.

I also know so many people struggling with and fighting cancer these days, that I will not complain about my aches and pains. I am so thankful for good health!

Just Across the River from the Ford Plant

On Saturday, Dawn and I decided that we would do what we've been talking about doing for a long time. My husband's second cousin is in the Veteran's Home in St. Paul. She has been there for awhile, and everytime I'm in Hudson, I think about visiting her. This time, we made a special point of finally going to see Renee. She landed there due to two strokes that affected both her body and her mind. It is an "historical looking" building with large white pillars at all the entrances. It used to be called "The Old Soldiers Home". Did we ever have a time finding it though!

My daughter and I were in a part of St. Paul that we have never been in, we used mapquest for a map and driving directions and still got lost. We were on a time limit as she had to get back home by 3 to get Maddy to a Birthday Party. But, we should have had plenty of time, if we hadn't had to spend so much time finding it! Then when we got there, there was a code to get in, trying to find her floor and room, then she wasn't in her room... what a time! But, we finally found her... she recognized us and was so happy to see us. It really made us feel like all the hassle was really worth it. Dawn used to visit Renee with her Grandmother, so she has wonderful memories of Renee. We weren't sure what condition we'd find her in, but she was having a good day. She looked good, and asked how various members of our family were. She did tell us a few things that we don't quite think were right, probably fabricated in her mind. Then we told her we had trouble finding her place and she said "oh my, we're just across the river from the Ford Plant"! Well, Renee, that would be helpful if we had ever been to the "Ford Plant". (By the way the Ford plant there makes trucks). Her sitting room she was in had a beautiful view of the Mississippi River. It was good to find her happy and being well taken care of.

Where Did October Go?

Wow, I thought that September went fast. October went even faster. It was a beautiful month here in Duluth, MN. The fall colors on the trees were beautiful. We had some unusually warm days for October, and though we did have some sunless, wet days...we were treated to a good share of warm sunny days too.

It was nice to have an extension of Daylight Savings Time too. It was really hard to turn the clocks back on Saturday night and know that it would now be dark when we got up in the mornings AND dark when we came home from work in the evenings! Tonight was not only dark, it was also a foggy night. It wasn't fun driving home....I felt like I had to drive extra slow and extra careful with not being used to driving in the dark very much, especially at 5 pm!

I was visiting our daughter and her family from Thursday afternoon until Saturday evening. I had planned to leave Hudson around 2:30 or 3 to come home, but you guessed it.... I didn't leave there until 5:30! I had a good visit. Dawn and I were disappointed, we had tickets to see Celine Dion in concert at the Target Center on Thursday night, but we got word late Wed. afternoon that she was ill with a respiratory condition and had to take time off per her Doctor's orders. She will be back in February, so the concert was just postponed, not cancelled. Now, we have to waiti till Feb. to see her. The tickets were my birthday present from my daughter....nice gift! I was so excited when she told me.

Dawn still wanted me to come down, so I did. I saw the Granddaughter dress up like a witch, for her halloween party on Friday evening.

Vote Tomorrow

I guess I really don't need to remind my readers to vote tomorrow! I'm sure you are feeling like our household is feeling. We will be glad to vote and glad to have this all settled! We are very sick and tired of hearing the negative ads on both sides, radio and TV and the phone calls we receive everyday and night from the political parties. This is one time I'm thankful that we have "Caller ID", I don't pick the phone up. My husband does pick the phone up, and then complains afterward! He always tells them that he's "undecided".... he's really not, it's just that it bugs him that they ask, so therefore he tells them he's undecided. Wonder how many "undecided" are like him.

While I'm sure you will all vote for President, please do remember it's important to vote on the local issues that we will be asked to decide on. The school amendments, etc. I won't give recommendations on how to vote on them, just to say not to forget to vote on those issues!