Rose.......

My cousin sent this to me today, and it was timely to say the least. It said to send it to 7 people, so I thought it was VERY approriate......and I wanted to share it with you.........


The first day of school our professor introduced himself and challenged us to get to know someone we didn't already know.

I stood up to look around when a gentle hand touched my shoulder. I turned around to find a wrinkled, little old lady beaming up at me with as mile that lit up her entire being. She said, 'Hi handsome. My name is Rose. I'm eighty-seven years old. Can Igive you a hug?' I laughed and enthusiastically responded, 'Of course you may!' and she gave me a giant squeeze.

'Why are you in college at such a young, innocent age?' I asked..She jokingly replied, 'I'm here to meet a rich husband, get married, and have a couple of kids...''No seriously,' I asked. I was curious what may have motivated her to betaking on this challenge at her age. 'I always dreamed of having a college education and now I'm getting one! 'she told me. After class we walked to the student union building and shared a chocolate milkshake. We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and talk nonstop. I was always mesmerized listening to this' time machine' as she shared her wisdom and experience with me. Over the course of the year, Rose became a campus icon and she easily made friends wherever she went. She loved to dress up and she reveled in the attention bestowed upon her from the other students. She was living it up...

At the end of the semester we invited Rose to speak at our football banquet. I'll never forget what she taught us. She was introduced and stepped up to the podium. As she began to deliver her prepared speech, she dropped her note cards on the floor. Frustrated and a little embarrassed she leaned into the microphone and simply said, 'I'm sorry I'm so jittery. I gave up beer for Lent and this whiskey is killing me! I'll never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know.' As we laughed she cleared her throat and began, ' We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing.

There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. You've got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and don't even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and don't do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. If I am eighty-seven years old and stay in bed for a year and never do anything I will turn eighty-eight.

Anybody can grow older. That doesn't take any talent or ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually don't have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets.' She concluded her speech by courageously singing 'The Rose.' She challenged each of us to study the lyrics and live them out in our daily lives. At the year's end Rose finished the college degree she had begun all those years ago. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep.

Over two thousand college students attended her funeral in tribute to the wonderful woman who taught by example that it's never too late to be all you can possibly be. These words have been passed along in loving memory of ROSE.

• REMEMBER, GROWING OLDER IS MANDATORY. GROWING UP IS OPTIONAL.
• We make a Living by what we get. We make a Life by what we give.
• God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
• If God brings you to it, He will bring you through it.

Pass this message to 7 people except you and me. You will receive a miracle tomorrow ( if you don't think so...look out your window when you waken the morning and think about it )

If you choose not, then you refuse to bless someone else.'Good friends are like stars.........You don't always see them, but you know they are always there.'

Thanks for ALL of your prayers and support for the last 72 days.....God is GREAT!!!.....He does miracles........and my......MIRACLE.......IS coming home tomorrow!!!!!

PT.....

April W. posted a comment on the 25th.....April was Paula's young, beautiful, and VERY competent Physcial Therapist........it was almost worth the trip to the hospital to see April!!!! Really, April was very, very nice to Paula and me, and she did a fantastic job.

And April, Paula calls her cats "catalinas" like the old Pontiac Catalina (I know that car was before your time!)

Paula IS NOT a happy camper at Walton West.....the other patients at West that I saw aren't capable at this time to "help" with supper, cleaning, and other household chores. Paula said they had instant gravey and instant potatoes, and chicken for supper. She tried to help them "cook" these items, help serve, and help clean up......and the attendent told her "No, that's alright, I'll get that........."

Moved.....

We moved Paula today to Walton West. From Lincolnton, you go to Augusta on Washington Rd, go past I-20, turn left on the 2nd street, Bertram Rd (there is no road sign, it is just past Red Lobster and next to Wachovia), go to Center West Pkwy and you'll see Walton West). But Walton West is not condusive to visits because of the schedule.

From what I saw today, Paula is as close to normal more so than ANY of the other patients. And when she tried to help in the kitchen.....they wouldn't let her. I'm not really impressed with Walton West's ability to help people that are as advanced as Paula.

Tommorow, I will be in contact with the administrators/nurses at Walton West....and sorry to say....the insurance company......but Paula WILL learn and/or rehabilitate faster here at home than she will there......Paula IS doing GREAT.....and I think she is more advanced than their "plan" for her, so I'll probably bring her home on Friday.

Don't mistake this as a criticism of Walton West....it is NOT.....I just feel that Paula IS.....more advanced.....and we and the ladies of our church....and this community can help Paula more than they. At home....she can do meaningful things that REALLY mean something to her.

Again, I've made some changes to the blog, so if you haven't been able to post.....please try again. I know your comments will mean so much to Paula....and also, myself!

The days are numbered......

Paula is improving every day......even though she doesn't remember many things....she's remembering more everyday, and talking about past things that we haven't talked about in a long time.

She will be moving to Walton West, 2501 Center West Pky, in Augusta. From Washington Rd, go just past outback, turn onto Berkman, then Center West.It'son the same side of the road as Outback. I don't know what visitation will be, but I will let you know. There are several ways to get there, but the best way that I see from Lincolnton, would be to get on Riverwatch Pkwy toward Augusta, go past I-20, turn right on Alexander Drive, turn right on Washington Rd, turn right on Bertram Rd, left on Center West Pkwy. We don't know what the weekend will be like, so it would be better to check with us before you come to visit.

Walton West is a residential setting for patients. They concentrate on things that a person would normally do at home......cleaning, cooking, taking care of yourself. I REALLY don't think Paula will be there long......the days are numbered when she will be at home.......Thank God!!!!

Comments.....

Many seemed to have had problems posting a comment to the blog, so I adjusted the settings. Hopefully this will make it easier to comment

Doctor....

Paula had a good day yesterday. Her memory is great sometimes, then at other times it's not. It does seem to be improving overall.

Last Friday I was cleaning out one of the kitchen cabinets and found two large bags of M & M's, Kisses, and.....two bags of Ghirardelli chocolate squares that Paula had "hidden" away. So, thinking that we were going to have company on Saturday, I put the candy on the table so our guest could have some.......after seeing Chuck get one of the Ghirardelli chocolate squares and say how good it was......Paula promptly put those two bags back in the cabinet......back in HER hiding place. Paula is a VERY loving and caring woman......except when it comes to HER Cheezits and HER chocolate squares.......well.....I guess all of us have our "sacred cows!" But she did remember quickly....that those were her's, and also where she had hidden them. On the other hand, she has trouble remembering how to work the TV's in her room, play a DVD on the laptop, and how to play a DVD/CD on the portable DVD player.

I'll be talking to the Dr. today about Paula's eyesite again, her blood thinner, her feeding tube, and near term plans for coming home and/or further rehabilitation. They've mentioned sending her to "Walton West," which is kind of like a halfway house between Walton Rehabilitation Hospital and going home. The only thing that they've told me that they could do with Paula at Walton West is "teach" her how to make out a grocery list and go grocery shopping. Paula is well past that stage of rehabilitation, so if things like that is all they will do, she'll be better off at home. I'm sure I'm probably over simplifying the things that they do at Walton West.....we'll see.

Bored stiff......

First, let me tell you that this is NOT about Lanis's sermons (Ha! Ha!)......no,.... miraculous things are happening at our church, the Spirit of God is REALLY moving, and that He is now moving is really a misnomer, He's been moving ALL along....we're just NOW.....accepting HIS power....Praise God!

Paula has been REALLY....bored for the last week. That's great, but it presents other.....good....problems for the family that we have to deal with....but that's O.K.!

Having Paula at home yesterday was GREAT!!!!! Even so, it was a very stressful day for me......I haven't slept well for appx 2 weeks, and Friday night, I got into bed at around 10:30, worke up at 4:00 A.M., I finally got out of bed at 6:00. It was again around 10:30 before I got back into bed, so physcially it was a tough day. It's been a long....69 days. But again....that's O.K......God IS healing Paula.

Paula has very little feeling in the first two fingers of her right hand.....she can move them....but she has little feeling. Also, her vision is not what it was before the accident. I've ask the Dr to get someone to check this out.

I told Paula tonight to concentrate on her walking this coming week. She gets up, and immediately starts walking, then has trouble stopping. I told her to stand up, stop and gain complete balance, then start walking. She said she would practice this.

I don't feel that it's going to be long before she comes home!!!!

Home sweet home.....

Paula came home yesterday and REALLY enjoyed being there. The only "problem" that she had was stumping her toe one time on her cat scratching pole. She enjoyed one of her cats, Smarty, but Marigold had left in the morning, and did not show up until last night.

We had a lot of company and Paula enjoyed seeing everyone.....thanks!

I don't know when Paula will get home, but it's not going to be long.

Thank God for her healing, and thank you for your continued support.