What if we treated our PETS this way?

My stepmother's father is very ill. He has been sick for a very long time, with emphysema and (I think) diabetes. He had to have a leg amputated several years ago. Anyway, for the last couple of months it has been really bad. He has been in the hospital in a lot of pain. My stepmom went there (he lives about 2 hours from her) and hasn't left in 3 weeks. She can barely stand to leave to take a shower.

He is on a lot of medication to ease his pain and anxiety. My dad says that he looks like the most awful pictures you have ever seen of the victims of Auschwitz. He says that he takes abour 4 or 5 breaths per minute. Each breath is terribly painful. He can only get his lungs to expand for about 1/4 of a breath.

I know that God has a plan, and when it is our time to go, we go. But, this is just awful. He is in such agony. His wife suffers watching him suffer. His children can't help him, and they are having to watch him slowly die. He can't swallow, so he hasn't had anything to eat or drink in 2 weeks. At one point, they considered sending him home on hospice. I am not sure why they haven't done that yet.

So--here's the thing. I haven't ever been sure how I felt about "euthenasia" (I probably spelled that wrong). I know that I would not want to suffer, and I have told my family on multiple ocassions that if something bad happens to me, let me go. Don't put yourselves through having to take care of me. But, I believe it is against the law to "help" someone die. Isn't that what Dr. Kevorkian was put in jail for? Anyway, I'm pretty sure it is illegal. Understand, Pops has not ever told anyone that he wanted to go ahead and die, so this doesn't really pertain to him. It has just made me think. If someone is suffering so badly and they want it to end. . .why do we make that illegal? If I had a dog that was in the same condition that Pops is in, and someone reported me--I would go to jail for animal cruelty. With animals we are told that it is the "humane" thing to do because "they have no quality or dignity to their lives anymore."

Again, Pops hasn't asked anyone to help him die, but when he finally takes his last breath, that old cliche will certainly be true--he will be in a better place, he will no longer be in pain, and he will be with God. It just makes me think about how and why we make the decisions we do.

I realize that this is totally rambling and not tied together. I am just so sad for C. and her dad and his wife and everyone else. They are in this horrible in between thing of having to take care of his body, while they watch it waste away. They can't yet grieve his death, because he's still alive, but his life is misery. It is just too awful.

Strength, Stability, and Flexability

So. . .I have been thinking over my workout plan a lot lately. I have been trying to increase my running, but I decided the other day--what for? I hate running. I don't think it is fun. I don't get a runner's high, and I don't feel proud that I can do something other people can't. The only thing I get out of it is weight loss. I can run 4 miles and lose about 1/2 a pound a day. So, that is enough to keep me doing it. I thought about working my way up to some races (they have great ones year round here) but I just don't want to.

Two things that I saw recently have redirected my plan. First, I saw a photo of a woman, about my age (a year old, actually) standing on one foot, with her other leg extended straight up in the air (shin next to ear) holding that foot with her hands above her head. Second, I saw a woman at my gym who is 67 years old who, I swear, is a human pretzel. She could bend her body into some crazy contortions, just to try to stretch! That's how flexible she is. So. . .here's my thoughts. In the long run, I will not be able to run forever. It just isn't a smart choice, when you consider the impact on your knees and the rest of your body. What I DO need to have forever is strength, stability, and flexability. (I think I have spelled that wrong, but it is late and I am too tired to figure it out.) Anyway--my trainer and I have been working on the stability. Some of the simplest exercises are very difficult for me. I am pretty clumsy anyway, so the fact that I have not done a lot of work on that area doesn't help. Eventually, as I grow older, and my bones are not as strong, I will need my muscles and joints to be in good condition to keep my body safe and healthy. As for the flexability, I think that will help with those "aches and pains" of age that are the result of lack of muscle use. Also, I just thought that picture of that lady's foot over her head was really cool.
So. . .I will keep up the running, just for the weight loss. Not try to push for more constantly. I will continue weight training, because I like being able to wear tank tops and not be embarrassed of my arms, but now I will add in pilates and yoga to work toward the new goal. I am not sure that the goal will be to hold my foot above my head, but I'd like to be able to extend one leg straight out at a 90 degree angle to the floor and hold it there for 10 seconds (try it--it's much harder than it sounds!)

Happy Birthday to the Babies!

I have to stop referring to the two youngest children as babies. It makes R. very angry with me, but I just can't help it. I feel like they are babies. Anyway--in the last 5 days, they both had a birthday. R. turned 4 on Thursday, and J. turned 2 today. They had a joint party on Saturday. I swore I would never do that, but at this point, J. is so young that he doesn't really have his own friends. . .just those that I have forced on him because they are children of my friends or siblings of the other two boys' friends. So, I figured one (or maybe two or three) joint parties won't hurt anybody!

It was a great time. My friend, L. bought a bounce house a few days ago, so we borrowed that. She also made their cakes. This woman is talented. She does SUCH a great job. And, she makes this wonderful chocolate icing with cinnamon in it. I don't even like cinnamon that much, and I love this icing. The night of the party, at about 2 am, I ate some of the cake without even cutting it--just straight from the cake! I used to fork though!

Anyway--I had to leave the party early to go to my Weight Watchers employment interview, so L. and a couple of other friends stayed and helped clean up. I think, overall, I was the big winner when it came to this party. Little planning (hot dogs to eat, and L. provided the entertainment) fancy beautiful cakes for free, and I didn't have to clean anything! AND--I only had to do one party! AND I got HIRED BY WEIGHT WATCHERS!

All in all, a great day. For me. Not for the kids. They got sick later that afternoon--back to croup coughs and fever. We've all been passing these germs back and forth for about 5 weeks now. It seems to be mutating between each kid (and me) so that we get it again and again. That sucks, but other than that. . .a good weekend.

Family Visit

My brother (J. calls him "Unc Buggy"), my sister-in-law ("Shelf"), and their beautiful daughter, G (he says her name perfectly) were here this past weekend. It was so much fun. J. and G. are only 6 weeks apart, so they were HILARIOUS!! They are 2 now, so the famous toddler statement "Mine!" was heard throughout the house many many times! Being their first child, it makes UB and Auntie C. a little irritated, but they handled it quite well! I mostly just cracked up about it (I have mellowed SO MUCH since the first child--I amaze myself!) Anyway--we had a great time. We went to the Wild Animal Park, a Super Bowl Party, and to Sea World. It was really fun. Auntie C was a great sport, since she is pregnant and was REALLY not feeling well the entire time. She pretended that she was fine, but she didn't feel great. I always think that I am fine with living far from family, that I have adjusted and I will be ok--and then they come to visit. It makes me so so so so so sad when they leave. Especially UB, Auntie C, and G. I could live next door to them forever and be happy about it! I am hoping that we will get to go home over the summer some time (pray for space A flights!!!!!) and see them and the new baby! Here are some photos from their visit! Auntie C sent me some more, but I have to figure out the Kodak account thing to put them on here. . .hers are a lot better than mine!

Civilian Child vs. Military Child

1. A civilian child sees race or maybe diversity; a military child sees friends as close as family.
2. A civilian child has a best friend in his hometown, a military child has a best friend on every continent.
3. A civilian child sees the planes flying over; a military child knows what type of plane it is, and knows someone who works on them.
4. A civilian child smells something nasty and says "Eeewwww! What's that smell?" A military child smells something nasty and says "M.O.P.P. 4! M.O.P.P. 4!"
5. A civilian child sees someone in uniform; a military child can tell you what branch he's in and what rank he is.
6. A civilian child thinks home is where the heart is; a military child knows that home is where the military sends you.
7. A civilian child kisses mommy and daddy goodnight; a military child often kisses a picture of mommy or daddy goodnight.
8. A civilian child lives for tomorrow and what it might bring; a military child lives for today, because tomorrow might bring orders for daddy to go away again
9. A civilian child talks on the phone for fun; a military child lives for the 15 minute weekly phone call.
10. A civilian child can read and write in English; a military child can read and write acronyms.
11. A civilian child says goodbye; a military child says see you later.
12. A civilian child gets to see things other children would love to see; a military child gets to see things world leaders would love to see.
13. A civilian child often goes to the same school his whole life; a military child will change schools every 2 years.
14. A civilian child leaves his hometown for vacation; a military child only sees his "hometown" for vacation.
15. A civilian child supports our soldiers; a military child IS a soldier.

Pray for our troops. . .including the little ones helping hold down the homefront!