Please tell grandma that we love her and hopefully we'll be over tomorrow.  

The clonidine brought her bp down to 149/82 and she has had her Lortab so I hope she goes to sleep soon. I'm beat.

I am glad her b/p is coming down, you tell her we'll be praying for her, and to eat so she can go home . the pictures are great.keep them coming. love you all.

Mommy's BP is now 188/83. Came down alittle. The nurse is aware.

 

 

Mommy was waving at you all!

Mommy didn't eat any supper but she did drink tomato juice and ate some blueberries and strawberries. She is watching Andy and Barney right now. She looks alot better since she ate and had a nap.

Mommy's BP was 200/98 so they gave her more atenolol and gave her more pain meds, right before supper, so...she is out cold and right before she could eat. Got to get more food in her tomorrow. I saved her supper tray so if she wakes up, I will microwave it and try again. I also bought her some fruit, so when she is awake, I will be feeding her something or making her drink Ensure.

Mommy is listening to Alan Jackson's "I Want to Stroll Over Heaven With You"

I will be staying the weekend with Mommy, Blain has to work all weekend and I might as well be here if my mind is here. Addy is coming Sunday evening and stay Sunday night as well. I will come back Monday. Sunday is Blain's birthday so I will take him out to dinner Sunday evening after he gets off work. One of the nursing assistants, Steve, just went and got me coffee. I told him I had just come from CAMC and I wasn't use to that, so I might have a stroke. He said another lady, right up the hall had just told him the same thing. It's good to be home. Vonda, I will let you know when the flowers arrive. Maybe even get a pic. I brought my camera.

 

 

Mommy was eating peaches and this is how we slept one night

Rita, I ordered Mommy flowers , let me know if they get there tomorrow ok, The kids are fixing her some cards to mail on monday. Glad Mom is resting .

Mommy at GVMC

 

We made it home to GVMC and Mommy's neighbor, Bobbie, who lives over on the hill above Vera, met us at the ER. I don't know if Mommy knew her name, but I think she recognized her because she gave her a big hug and smile. Bobbie brought us up to her room and told her this was the one she would pick if she had to be in here. She told her she could see the cows in the field and Mommy smiled. She was in a lot of pain by the time we arrived but Dr. Anderson met us in the room and Mommy smiled and gave her a hug. I think she was beginning to relax by the time she saw two familiar faces. Dr. Anderson ordered her a pain pill right away and an Ensure. I tried to get as much down her as possible but she don't like them and she only drank some of it bc I told her Dr. Anderson wanted her to. She is sleeping now and I am sitting at the bottom of the bed while the nurse is checking her in. Her bp is up and they are giving her more Atenolol for that. I think once she rests and gets rid of the pain, she will do just fine. Addy and Paul are here and Addy brought her a snowball cake. I will send you a couple pics we took in Charleston in a few minutes. My cell is 304 575 0857 if you want to call. Will post more later

Mommy

Hey, All, I just talked to Rita and she has mommy at GVMC now, she had to take her there herself, they didn't have an ambulance to take her. So she was in pain by the time she got there, but they gave her some pain meds and she is sleeping now. Rita said don't call her room , it will wake her up and she needs her sleep now for a while, If you want to call , call Rita's cell ph#.She ate this morning and kept it down after Rita gave her a zofran.

Mom , is in room 320 but don't visit till after 4 o 'clock please Rita said , so Mom can get some rest, ok.So hopefully thing will get better for her now. you can send her card and flowers now, I am sure she would like them. Rita said she would post more after she gets everything settled in for Mom. So I hope I got everything she told me.Love to all , So everyone keep Mom in your prayers , for a speedy recovery.

Evenin' Folks~Mommy is doing great as far as her surgery but every time we fed her today, she eats a little (chews it up herself) and then gags. Yesterday evening, she ate supper real good, then gagged and threw it up. I don't know why exactly, because she is on very little pain meds. She had Tylenol at about 4:30 this morning and that was all she had all day. I came home this evening, Teresa came down about 2 and then Addy went down after she got out of school. She and Teresa are staying tonight. I will go back in the morning, be there by 9:00. She had a unit of Blood today and didn't have any problems except that her BP went up, 196/104. She slowed the infusion down and then went to see the Dr. I just talked to Teresa and she said that the nurse put Mommy on a bed pan and she couldn't go, so they were trying to walk her to the potty and she had an accident all over the floor and they pulled the IV out so they are going to have to start a new one. They had to clean the floor and Mommy up because the nursing care there is about the poorest I have ever seen. They are giving Mommy bp meds for her bp and are waiting on the nurse to come and start the process again. Ya'll pray for Mommy that all will go well so she can get out of that hospital. Except for the surgeon, I ain't got nothin' good to say about Charleston General. I saw them break every rule in the medical field and I am appalled.
If we can get Mommy to GVMC before 12:00 noon tomorrow, then she will be going there, if not and they just want to keep her until Monday when we can get her in to GVMC, then I am just going to bring her home. We are giving all the care anyway. Talk to ya'll later

Mommy won't be going home today. Her blood count decided to be contrary and is getting a blood transfusion. But other than that she is doing good. Danny and I brought Ruth back with us and Rita is with mommy. I am at the Cleveland clinic right now.
Blog later

Mommy is ready to blow this joint!

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Sleeping Beauty! The sleep of the righteous. . . Looks like she doesn't have a care in this world!

She is sleeping and has had a very restful day!

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I am here with mommy. She ate a fair lunch for Teresa and is now asleep on the chair. She walked for pt out into the hall and then got tired. Her blood levels are dropping and may need a transfusion. Buy we won't know that until tonight when they do more lab work. Then depending on what that is... Will decide the transfusion. So she may get released tomorrow and she mAy not. I just talked to mommys case worker and hallelujah finally someone that knows what the heck is going on. If in the morning when the medical dr makes her rounds and she is medically stable she will be transferred. She is sitting here asleep bit not in pain. I will post a picture ;)

That is such a high word of praise for you girls! And yet another reason I'm glad to call you my sisters and laws! I know you all give Mom your full attention and we are all blessed for it. Just think, when you are old and frail, you will have the best of care! What goes around. . . .
I can come Friday evening after my kids go and stay the Sat. if that helps anyone.

AMEN To that, she has a dream team here on earth and a Super Dream Team in Heaven looking out for her, Give God The Praises.

I wanted to tell all you guys something that happened after Mommy's surgery that I found very impressive coming from a stranger (but, of course, we all already knew):

As the surgical nurse (a nurse that we had not seen before) was wheeling Mommy from recovery to her room, she said to us that you could really tell that Mommy was well cared for. I later asked Rita why she had said that since she didn't know us OR Mommy. Rita later asked her, and she said that you could just tell - that she was well kept and she didn't have bruises and skin tears that they see in a lot of their older patients, her skin was so soft, she had her own nice soft blanket and her own soft down pillow, etc. Kudos to all of you who have helped take care of her! At the hospital, with Trish's medical expertise, Teresa's sweet disposition and the loud-mouthed redhead's . . . enough said! I believe Mommy has a dream team taking care of her.

Mornin All~Ruth and I came home last night for some much needed sleep. We had been down there since Monday. We went to Goldie's Monday night and slept (Thank You Goldie) since Trish stayed, but we didn't sleep at all Tuesday night. They had brought a lady in Mommy's room (semi-private) who needed alot of attention and they were in and out all night, not to mention the helicopter that kept landing on the roof right above our head (Mommy's on the top floor). It sure ain't the same as having a private room and everybody in the hospital like family popping in to see if they can get you anything. Can't wait to get home to GVMC. These people in Charleston don't know Mommy and how special she is like they do at GVMC!!! They just treat her like everybody else, Can you believe that?!?!?! :)
Her surgeon and medical Dr. were really great...personable...and kept you informed...The nursing staff..another story! I called down there last night to see if she had had her bath for the day and she hadn't!! The nurse said he would take care of that!!!
Ruth and I are going back down there today at 2 to relieve Teresa, and Ruth will be going home tomorrow morning with Trish as Trish has a Dr. appt at The Cleveland Clinic tomorrow. I will be staying and coming to GVMC when they bring her by ambulance to see that she gets settled in and Addy is coming over to stay with her Friday night. I will go back to the hospital Saturday morning and stay. I'm taking my computer with me so I can post from the hospital. I'll take my camera so I can send you some pics too. Love to All

Geneva and Bill Ballengees daughter;

BLUEFIELD, Va. — Marsha Ann Anderson, 56, of 144 Bethel Drive, Bluefield, Va., departed this world for a better one after a brief but fierce battle with Crohn's Disease on Tuesday August 31, 2010 at a Bluefield hospital.

Born January 28, 1954 in Christiansburg, Va., she was a daughter of Billy David Ballengee and Geneva Presley Ballengee of Grassy Meadows, W.Va. Mrs. Anderson was raised in Grassy Meadows in Greenbrier County. She had worked as a bookkeeper at Bluefield State College where she also attended classes, working towards her Associates Degree. She had also worked at Bluefield Supply Company. Her most important job, however, was being a wife and a mother and making a happy home for her family. She was an active member of War and Caretta United Methodist Church and was previously an active member of the Church of God as a minister's wife. Mrs. Anderson loved to needlepoint and work crossword puzzles. She was a wonderful cook and enjoyed entertaining her family. She dearly loved her five grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her father-in-law, Gus E. Anderson, Sr.; and brother-in-law, Charles J. Smothers, Jr.

In addition to her parents, those left to cherish her memory include her husband, the Reverend Gus E. Anderson, Jr. of the home; one son, Matthew Phillip Anderson and his wife Barbara of Bluefield, Va.; two daughters, Terah Leigh Anderson of the home and Jennifer Marie Marrs and her husband Brian of Charleston, W.Va.; siblings, Audrey Smothers of Bluefield, W.Va., Judy Meyers and her husband Lavoy of Bumpass, Va., Billy David Ballengee, Jr. of Rainelle, W.Va., Brenda Holliday and her husband Kevin of Smoot, W.Va., Sherral Nickell and her husband Jeff of Grassy Meadows, W.Va. and Melissa Crane and her husband Dane of Caldwell, W.Va.; five grandchildren, Jonathon Burton, Rebecca Burton, Brittany Burton, Jenna Marrs, and Lauren Marrs; her mother-in- law, Rosalee Anderson of Bluefield, W.Va.; a host of extended family and friends; and her beloved dog, Patches.

Labor Day..Brooks and Grandma

 

Wading Deep Waters - Crooked Still (lyrics)

"The Prayer"- Love this song!

Better Than A Hallelujah Amy Grant

Hope this one works!

Well Grandma had a good night. A little groggy because the anesthesia is still hanging around but hardly no pain. The plan is to get her up in a chair today and as soon as the surgeon releases her the plan is to head to greenbrier county hospital for the remainder of her week to get her medical situation laid out. It will be much easier as an inpatient rather than doing it in many visits. She has eaten some and taking her medicines, but not from Rita. She wants them from her nurse! LOL they thought that was funny and Mommy actually talked to them. So she is on the mend.
As for me I am making an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic as soon as they will take me because unfortunately my doc said everything else in coming back. I have only been off the prednisone since June and that first month was rough but July and August was good. If there is anyother way but prednisone that will be my route.
I will keep you posted!

Mercy Said No

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to know how things are going and if anyone is still staying with Goldie. If so, tell her she owes me, her little sister, a letter. How is she doing?
What a blessing Goldie lived there for all of you to have family to stay with.
Who is staying with Vivian now that Trish had to go home? Was Trish on medications for Broncitus and all the other 'itis' brothers? Can't imagine how she managed to sleep with her mom. She, herself, must have been in pain from head to toe.
Michelle has called to check on Grandma. She cannot always find out via the blog because it sometimes will not switch from German to English and she knows little of the German language yet. The girls are taking German language classes.
Well, know that I love you and pray for each of you almost daily.
Love and Prayers,
Julie

Trish, did you say Mom was in a room with two beds? Sounds like you should be in the other one. We missed you and Rita on Sunday. Jacob said you didn't feel well.
I hope they left Mom alone so she could get a good nights sleep last night. We are praying down here!

as long as I can keep my batteries charged. Right now I am home. I had to come home at 2 today to see my Doctor. I have bronchitis, bursitis and sinusitus. She game me a shot in each hip and a prescription and pretty much told me to get myself back to the cleveland clinic. But I hope to rest up tonight and head back in the morning. so after the doctors make their rounds I will post an update and hopefully a picture of grandma sitting up in her chair:P Night all
Love ya,

Glad grandma is doing good:)  Thanks for the updates!  Keep those coming if you can.

Post surgery! Looking good!

I echo Vonda, Praise the Lord! We will keep praying for her to have a good night of rest.
Thank you Trish for keeping us all informed. Love you!

Praise the Lord , God is Awesome.

Mommy is out of surgery and did great according to the doctor. she didn't need a blood transfusion and tolerated general anest. well. She will be in recovery for an hour and a half and then go to her room. The rest is uphill. Will post more as we know it!

Mommy should be going in for surgery in about another hour

Grandma should have a new hip by night fall!

Well we have finally seen a doctor and everything is go we are just waiting on the surgeon to. Come by by and tell us when. She is resting quite comfortably. Just check. In for. Updates. I am typing on Dan's phone so ignore the mistakes. Will blog when we know what time. And she did say she could probably go home after 2or3 days and not go to a nursing home! !!

We dont know anything yet...

Better than a Hallelujah (lyrics) Amy Grant

Check out this video on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOHJghBU0XA&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Trish

Well so far mommys night has not been good. Her blood pressure was sky high and they had to get an order from the doc for iv meds. That worked great but then she developed a red rash all over her face but her bp was good so rashes will go away... Then here comes a nurse to get a urine specimen and this is 6 hours after being fully admitted; doesn't count the 4 1/2 hours in this er and about 5 in the other ... anyway he says wow her urine is really concentrated! Duh!! She is npo which means nothing to drink or eat!!!! And her iv stopped dripping many er hours ago. He says well is she not drinking I said NO they are expecting to do surgery in the morning oh he says I better investigate this. So needless to say after all that she finally started getting fluids a pain pill and at 330 FINALLY goes to sleep. You will never guess what happened next! They came in to do routine vital signs. Well I sent them packing and told them when SHE woke up I would ring the call bell which leads to another story. After the nurse Came in and did all this stuff of course he left the light on. Here I am looking everywhere for a switch and can't find it so I go out and ask the little gal how to turn out the lights trying not to sound too stupid. She says oh honey it's on your remote so I say what remote and she says the one with the call bell ..and again this is several hours after admission...you will never guess ... They never gave us one!!
They can say all they want to about gvmc but I say "there's no place like home" I just wish I had my little toto. And if I had my little red Em I would definately keep their heels clicking.
It seems the only way to get mommy to go to sleep is get In bed with her, cover her up and hold her hands til she falls asleep and I am here to tell you, these ain't no queen sized beds! All I can say is it's a good thing mommy didn't eat too much on Sunday.
She is resting and getting some much needed sleep so please pray we can get the surgery behind us so we can move on to rehab. She will more than likely have to go to a nursing home that has skilled services and offers physicAl therapy for 3 or 4 weeks or we will never get her on her feet again. Heartland of rainelle has not only a good pt but also caring folks that worked there when I did and remember mommy and daddy when they were in their prime. They would often visit different people and when grandma was there they were regulars.
We said the 23rd psalm several times last night but I kept getting hung up on the part after yea though I walk through the valley so I had to get up after mommy fell asleep and look it up!
Y'all know dementia is hereditary and I am sure I got those genes.
My electronics are dying and we won't know anything until after 9 anyway. So we will call and let everyone know what's going on the old fashioned way I guess.
If you are awake and reading this pray for a restful day if nothing else. We can control everything but her peace of mind.
Love to all

trish

The spark

We think that dementia is not so bad because it gradually takes our loved one, instead of taking them abruptly and leaving a vast emptiness.
But when you look in your loved ones eyes and and see no recognition that slow gradual void becomes that same vast emptiness. Then after a few minutes you see a spark of what was and a smile with the words "you're one of mine" and the relationship takes a whole different turn. No longer is she the one tucking you in at night or giving you advice on how to raise your kids. When you look in her face and see a fear that was never there, you stroke her hair, hold her hand, say A psalm, even hum a hymn; something she would have done for you if you awoke from a nightmare or just afraid of the dark.
She used to get in bed with me and whisper it's okay, you are a child of God and he will take care of you. Now I crawl in bed with her because she is restless and can't find something to do with her hands. I have to hide the IV's, telemetry, and catheter then gently take her hands in mine until she falls asleep.
Then in the morning she awakes with the same scared look and no obvious recognition until....you see that spark and then not only does she remember but so do you.

Well as you can see mommy is tucked in for the night. No surgery at least until tomorrow and then that is only if the medical doc clears her. She is laying on her side and snoring. They ordered her pills for the pain and I told them that would have to be changed to iv because she doesn't do pills well. Hopefully she will get some sleep. She is in room 716 bed 2. If you want to call, use my number tonight 3046679701 and Rita will be here tomorrow 3045750857. If you call the nurses station they will ask for her access code and that is73501.
Pray for a good nights rest so she can handle what's ahead because right now her bp is of concern due to danger of another stroke.
Night all. Will post more when it happens.

Sleeping beauty!

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Thanks for the updates on Mom, Trish. We are praying and will continue to do so tonight and tomorrow. Does it look like they are contemplating surgery tonight? We love and appreciate all of you who have sacrificed your time to take care of and watch over Mom.
David

Mommy is getting ready to go upstairs. The medical and heart doctors have
to clear her for surgery before she can have it.

You all keep us posted and All the rest of you all keep praying for Mommy, That God will be with her , She has always been praying for us so now we need to hold her in prayer before God , That he will touch her and bring her through this, ok. Love you all.

Finally on our way. They have given her demeral for pain but she doesn't seem to be in much. Spirits r good and she is resting.

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Still waiting on her to be transferred to charleston. Chances are she may
not even have surgery today.

Grandmas going to the hospital in charleston has a broken hip. Fell this morning and will need surgery. No doctor on call today at fairlea. Will update whn i no

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Mom

Ruth called this morning and said Gma fell out of bed last night and hurt her hip. They called the ambulance to take her to get X-rays. Ruth was in bed with her and she has a bed rail!
Sent from my U.S. Cellular BlackBerry® smartphone

What beautiful babies.  Tanner~ Very handsome.  Missed you all yesterday although we did have a good visit with MAtt's family.  Saw people that we haven't seen in years.  The kids had a good time too.  I thought about getting away to Steve's for a little bit, but I didn't want to share our cold, so we just stayed there.  Most of them had it already too. 
Please post pictures of yesterday for those of us that couldn't be there. 

napping at Aunt TT's

 

Tanner got a haircut!

Emma really didn't want me taking her picture....hahaha.