Visiting Day!

Good evening! How is everyone doing? I guess I'm doing the best that I can!

We got up this morning, dressed, left our hotel, and drove over to grandma's apartment. We met up with her and Uncle Lowell for breakfast. I woke up this morning and the room was spinning. I don't know what was causing it or what. I knew it wasn't an earache. I didn't have a fever. I felt all right, except that the room would occasionally start spinning. As I was getting up from the breakfast table, I almost fell. I would've if I hadn't grabbed on to the bannister next to me.

We returned back to grandma's apartment. I tried to lay my head down on the couch, but my head was spinning worse. Just then, we heard an unexpected knock on the door. It was Earle Lacey. He is a long time family friend. He actually went to school with my dad. He's been so good to my Grandma and uncle Lowell. After my pa-paw passed away, he always looked out for both of them. He would check on them and see if they needed anything. He would even mow their lawn before he'd go home and mow his. If any of you have never been in Indiana or Kentucky, everyone has a lawn (abut the size if Texas)!!! Everyone keeps their own yard immaculately manicured. Anyhow, Earle comes and visits with dad and me every year when we come. It was so good to see him.

This time difference is really getting me! We eat breakfast promptly at 7 (5 am Albuquerque time). Then we eat lunch at 11:30 (9:30 am Albuquerque time) and supper is at 4:30 (2:30 Albuquerque time)! I don't now if I'm coming or going! I don't know if I'm eating first breakfast, second breakfast and lunch or what!!! Maybe I'm part hobbit???

Anyways...another very close family friend, Sarah, came to visit us at lunch time. She actually showed up early. She lives in North Vernon (where my Grandma used to live before she moved to this assisted living facility). She lived in the same apartment complex as my Grandma, just three buildings over. She would always check on Grandma and Uncle Lowell to see if they needed anything. She'd drive them to music nights or doctors appointments. She go over just about every night and play dominoes with them or sometimes shed bring her guitar and pick on that guitar. Boy, can she make that guitar sing!!! And she's got a great voice to boot! Well, she stopped at my grandma's favorite restaurant who serves the best fish sandwich I have ever had and pick up lunch for all of us. She drove about 30 minutes and arrived here at 11, so we had an early lunch! After we got done eating and I cleaned up, we played five rounds of Mexican dominoes. The facility here hosted an Easter egg hunt for two head start preschool classes. After they hunted for all their eggs, Sarah got out her guitar and played for about an hour. The old ladies here just thoroughly enjoyed themselves today. The ladies were really happy to see all those little kids! Then to have a music jam session to top it all off just made their day! They were all trying to convince Sarah to move in to this facility so she could sing every night! Lol!

Sarah left around 3:30. Supper was at 4:30, so Grandma and dad didn't want to walk all the way back to her apartment and then turn around and go all the way back for supper, so we just stayed out in the main room until supper time. After supper, Grandma, Uncle Lowell, and dad were all exhausted. We came back to the apartment.

Dad put on his breathing machine and he passed out. Uncle Lowell started feeling worse with his cough and he fell asleep. Grandma was wiped out and she took a nap herself. When she woke up, she really enjoyed looking at pictures on my iPad. She couldn't believe I was able to look at pictures of my boys that were taken just this morning. My boys went on a hike with a great friend of ours, Avram Gooden. He posted pictures he took of the group and my Grandma just couldn't believe those pictures were just taken this morning and we were able to already see them! She has been watching me text a lot. Now she thinks she wants to get an iPad! She's so cute!

The hospice nurse stopped by tonight to check on Grandma and Uncle Lowell. She is pretty positive that Lowell has pneumonia. He's been on antibiotics already for over a week and hasn't gotten any better. He sounds like he's got emphysema. The nurse said he sounds like he's breathing through soup. So she is working on getting him a different medication to get him to feeling better. My grandma is doing much better though.

Well, the facility's nurse just came in to give them their evening meds. They were supposed to get them at 8, but it's 10:52! She had to wake them both up to give them their pills and cough syrup. I hope everyone gets a decent night's rest around here!

I'm about ready to turn in myself. Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me and everyone here that I'm taking care of. I have needed extra strength and encouragement to get through this week. The words "thank you" cannot begin to express my gratitude. May God bless you all for your love and kindness. Sleep well and may God bless you abundantly tomorrow!