CSI strikes again

I just read Greg's blog and comments about his passing the funeral director exam and it reminded me of an incident in the ER a few weeks ago.

We had a patient brought in with a gun shot to the head. When the paramedics brought this person in they informed us that there was no gun found at the scene. By the way she was DOS (dead on scene) but the brought the pt in anyway. Another RN and myself let the CSI kick in and we started questioning why was this person moved from the scene, wasn't that tampering with evidence. The coroner was called and when he came, he pronounced this a suicide. Boy that really kicked in the CSI mentality. We were all over him. How could he tell this without taking her to the lab and do all that stuff they do. Was he going to dust the person's hands for gunshot residue to see if it was truly done by self or someone else, since it would be extremely hard to shoot ones self in the head and then dispose of the gun. Where was the entrance wound, it the wound we had examined was the exit wound and there was no visible evidence of another wound. We put him through the ringer.

Long and short of it, we were put in our place by the coroner. But, we weren't satisfied with his answers and we will continue to watch CSI.

Reactions of the "Baby"

We have been talking with Haley and Hannah about the newest addition to the family. I think Haley is getting excited about it. I told her and Hannah that they would be "aunts" when the baby arrives. Haley thinks that is ever so cool. Hannah's reply, "I don't want to be an ant, they bite you." Of course, in her little mind the only aunt is an ant. When I tried to explain that she would be an aunt like her aunt T she said, "I not big enough." She also told her brother that she didn't want him to have a baby because, "I the baby." I think she is getting a little insecure already because she is asking everyone to "hug me" and this from the most independent child I have ever seen. We have until January to prepare her. Good luck to us!

On another note, I am cleaning out my attic, which in itself is a major job. But, I am also getting ready to have a yard sale the first Saturday of June. Will be placing all the "stuff" no one else wanted that came from Mom's and a bunch of "stuff" I've stored since Dad passed 18 years ago. Mike said, "you won't get rid of any of this stuff. It has been long enough that when you start going through all of this, you won't be able to let it go." actually, since time has passed when I first went through Mom's things, there maybe even MORE stuff I will decide to LET GO. I climbed in the attic this afternoon to start bringing things down and realized I should have started this 3 months ago. So, I will go and get busy again.

Grandparenthood

In one day, I went from being the Memama of two beautiful little girls and the expected third beautiful little girl to being the GREAT MEMAMA of an expected baby. Our eldest daughter - Tara- married a man a few years older and he had two grown children (he started young). A son who was 20 when Tara and Buddy married and a teenage daughter (17). The son is now 24 and the daughter 21. Our (step) grandson-Jamie-is married to a lovely young lady-Jenny and they announced last night that they are expecting (January). Tara called me at work to ask me how I felt about being a great grandmother. Needless to say I am ecstatic. I have always loved children and like my mother before me, the more the merrier.

I asked my daughter how she felt about being a grandmother (she's 33). Jamie told her the only name left is Granny. She said that's ok, the baby can call her Ta-ta (her nickname since she was a baby). When I told Teri, our youngest daughter, she howled with laughter. The thought of her older sister being a grandmother sent her into rounds of laughter. She said, "I'll have to think of the oldest sounding grandmother name and call Tara." Needless to say we will have fun with this one.

Seriously, I'm very excited about this. One drawback, I am curious how our little 2 y.o. will feel when she realizes HER Bubba will have a baby of his own and that there will be another baby in the family besides her. She is quite possessional (if that is a word). She completely rules her little world and it will be interesting to see how she deals with this little interloper.

Well, now I have two dates to look forward to with great anticipation. The coming of our precious little Maddie and this new little one. It's getting to be so exciting being a grandmother.

It appears I owe my eldest brother and wife (the third sister) in the family an apology. I didn't intentionally leave Alan and Margie out of my blog. Margie was the last of the sisters to join the family and she has most definitely been a asset to our little family. She is full of fun and laughter and always a joy to be around. I certainly did not mean a slight or to imply that I only had 2 sisters. I have 3 wonderful sisters-in-law and in our family we try not to have in-laws so they are therefore, my sisters. So even though I was not blessed with a blood sister given to me by my Mom and Dad, I certainly was blessed when my three brothers married 3 of the most wonderful sisters any girl could ask for.

I am sorry that the previous blog appeared to slight my eldest brother and wife.

I wanted a sister

When I was younger, I wanted a sister. I had two brothers (that's enough for any girl) and I desperately wanted a baby sister. God in his wisdom didn't give me a sister (he did give me another brother - who by the way has been a God send especially in my older years and very much so recently). I wanted a sister so much that Mom and Dad even considered adopting one, but didn't.

Many years ago, Greg went to live with our grandmother, after our grandfather passed away. We didn't really understand why he was sent to live in north Alabama (we lived in Montgomery - the center of the state). He was my closest friend and brother and it just about killed me to see him leave. I don't think he understood until many years later (and Mom regretted many times having agreed to let him go but this was a promise to a dying parent). Because of this decision, I finally got a sister (didn't know it for many years). While in North Alabama, Greg met and fell in love with the most beautiful girl any of our family had ever seen. She was not only beautiful on the outside, but also on the inside. And best of all, she has remained just as beautiful all these years.

Today is Janice's birthday and I just wanted to let her know I thankful I am that she became my FIRST sister. I haven't always shown it or let her know but I truly love her and am so glad she is a member of this family. So, HAPPY BIRTHDAY little sister. I LOVE YOU.

p.S. Greg is my second brother and has always been the closest to me. The above mentioned little brother was Rex (and he also gave me a very lovely sister many years later. As a matter of fact his wife, Valerie, is actually my twin, 5 years later). For those who don't get that, she and I share the same birthday, 5 years apart.

Rainey Days and Wednesdays

It has rained here so much the last week that everything is damp and chilly. We are currently experiencing a thunderstorm and are to have another one, even worse, come through this afternoon as I leave for work. It would be wonderful if I had a garden in the ground - yeh, right, like I've got time to tend a garden. The rain matches my mood today. This Sunday is Mother's Day as you all know and this will be a slightly depressing day for me. In my 55 1/2 years of life, I have missed 2 Mother's Days with my Mom (both of which she spent in California with Greg and family). This year she is where we all want to be but that doesn't stop my missing her and wishing with all my heart I could spend just one more Mother's Day with her.

For all of you who still have your mothers, please take out special time for them. Not just this weekend, but often throughout every week, month and year. There is always the regret that you wish you had spent more time with them, taken them somewhere they really wanted to go, do something they really wanted to do, but you were too busy or just couldn't get by to see them. I spent a lot of time with my mom and still it wasn't enough, hope you don't put off spending time with yours.

Wishing all of you mothers out there the very best of Mother's Days. I have two very special daughters and two of the most wonderful grandaughters who will make mine very special.

It is Monday morning May 8th. This house is like a tomb (we have had the babies since Thursday night). May 5th was Tara and Buddy's anniversary and we kept the children for them to go away for a few days. Sleeping all night doesn't happen when Hannah is around. She told her Mom the other day that "I woke up 1000 times last night." It feels like it is that many times. She is the 2 year old and she awakens around 1-2 AM to let you know she is wet and needs new panties and juice. Then she awakens around 6 AM to let you know she is up for the morning. It is very tiring but this morning when I awakened to a very silent house, I missed the dickens out of them (a southern saying - meaning, I really missed the children being here). I had managed to get the house cleaned before they came over but you couldn't tell it this morning (gives me something to do while I miss them). They are such joys.

Mike got the slide we bought for the pool set up and secured Saturday and we had to watch Hannah like a hawk because she climbed straight up and slid down. Mike caught her at the end before she went into the pool - which is sill green from being covered this winter. She was determined to go swimming.

Haley spent a couple of days straightening her playhouse up and then teaching Hannah and me in "school". She was really sweet but got frustrated w/Hannah. Mike worked on the farm - when it wasn't storming and I played w/the kids. Had a great weekend.

Teri is doing fine. She over did it a little last Friday and was hurting a little. But, she is recuperating well. I had another epidural last Tuesday on my back for this disc. I now have had 4 doctors tell me (after seeing my last 2 MRI's), that I need to go see a nuero surgeon. So, I will call today and make an appointment for a consultation. I am really dreading this but, my back is not getting any better and this last epidural hasn't worked. All the doctors are telling me I have no disc in L-5, S-1 area and it is now bone on bone causing pain. I looked at the MRI's w/our radiologist at work and his first comment was "Ohhh". I told him we don't use language like that. Then when the anesthesiologist saw the report his first comment was "Ouch". Really builds confidence there. Anyway, will keep you informed.

Haven't blogged until now because once again, I tried to get on the computer last week and couldn't get the screen to come up. Mike said it was hung up. I think I am the one "hung up" when it comes to these things. It was slow this AM but finally allowed me on. The slowness could be due to the fact it has rained here for the past 4 days and when it rains at our house, the phone services are affected (don't know why).

Hope your weekend was pleasant and relaxing. Will post later.