I'm on the other side of the hospice equation now.  I'm a family member. My dad's dying.  He's been dying for years, but in the past few months I've seen a more rapid deterioration.  He's not eating well.  He's sleeping more than he used to.  He's confused and disoriented.  He's had another small stroke. I don't know how much time he has left.  I don't know if I'm going to be able to go home when it happens....I don't even know if he'd want me to come hom...

This morning I went to the funeral of the patient I sat vigilance for 3 days with last week.  She had a beautiful casket and beautiful flowers and was wearing a beautiful outfit in her favorite color, but..... ...she smelled.  As I stood by the casket I could smell the distinctive chemical smell of formaldehyde.  I touched her cold, hard, waxy hand and was instantly aware of how different it felt, how it was un-natural and cold compared to the warm, living hand I held last week...

My daughter has just gone through her closets and sorted out clothing that's either too small for her or that she simply doesn't wear.  There are jeans, pants, t-shirts, long sleeve t-shirts, sweaters and even a couple of tank tops with name brands like Lucky and Ltd Too. Can any JU-ers use them?  The pants are sizes 1, 2, and a very small 4 (they translate to a girl's 14 or 16), and all the shirts are either a sz medium or small.  I'd be more than happy to box them up and ship...

It's been a rough week.  A very rough week, actually. I lost 2 patients.  One passed away on Tuesday, very peacefully. The other....took a little time.  I spent half of Wednesday, all of Thursday, and I got called at 3am this morning to go back and be with her because the end was near.  She passed away a few hours after dawn this morning, and I'm glad that she's free of pain and suffering now. There were a couple of high points to this week, but one of them I can't tell y...

From the top, they are: 1.  Air Force Commendation Medal 2.  Air Force Achievement Medal 3.  Joint Meritorious Unit Award 4.  Meritorious Unit Award 5.  AF Outstanding Unit Award with Valor Device 6.  AF Good Conduct Medal 7.  National Defense Service Medal 8.  Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal 9.  Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal 10. &...

I spent this morning thinking about something that's been giving me a problem for a few weeks. I'm Key Spouse for D's squadron.  I did it at our last base for 4 years, and really enjoyed it.  I was the only K.S. and shared the duties with the commader's wife - who was going to school full time, which meant that I ended up doing it solo.  It was a lot of fun and very rewarding. Here at this squadron, though...it's a different ball of wax.  There are four of five women wh...

Recently, something has changed in me.  I used to be able to sit and watch the TV news and take the deaths of soldiers, marines and airmen in my stride.  I used to hear about young people being killed in car accidents or shootings and stabbings and not bat an eyelid. Lately, though...I can't do it.  It HURTS.  There's this weight in my chest - I think that I now know what poets meant when they claimed that their hearts were heavy, because that's how I feel.  My he...

I've learned a lot about Boxer dogs in the past few weeks.  They have some behaviours that are unique to their breed - and that are pretty funny too. For instance, there's the 'Boxer Bounce' as I like to call it.  The way Gracie jumps...it's almost like she's on springs and is bouncing all over the place.  She does this when she's playing with us and when she's happy to see someone. She's got this face that I simply cannot resist.  She'll look at me with ...

I've had this blog here at JU for over 2 years now.  I've written a thousand plus articles; I opened my heart and sometimes my soul and poured the secrets held within onto the pages of this blog. I used to blog every day.  Lately, though....I've been lucky if I can force myself to produce a couple of articles a week. I've lost the will to blog.  I just don't feel like it anymore.  It's not that I don't have anything to write about' I've had plenty of happenings in my li...

I just spent the last 12 hours sitting with a man who is dying of cancer. When I walked into his room this morning he showed all the signs of being minutes away from death. 12 hours later when I finally acquiesed and went home, he was still exhibiting the same signs. I watched as his priest came in and gave him absolution from his sins. I held his hand and we talked - about any and everything. His body doesn't want to give up; it's still fighting what the cancer has done to hi...

I want to make a new blog group (the JU fitness club) but I can't for the life of me remember how to do it! Can anyone help?  Thanks!

We've had Gracie living with us for 10 days now.  It seems like a lot longer; it feels like she's been here forever. She's done remarkably well in the week and a half.  She's learned that outside is the appropriate place to go potty, and if she can't make it outside then she should use the housebreaking mats we have.  Her aim could be a little better and I wish that she'd stay still when she poops, but...she's got the idea, and I'm cool with that. She's learned to sit on com...

I'm trying to be healthier.  I'm not unhappy with my size per se, I'm unhappy because I'm out of shape.  The surgery kicked my ass and I'm in terrible shape. So, in addition to the bellydancing, I've been riding my bike and watching what I eat. I usually buy food for the family every 2 weeks on or around military paydays.  I've done that for years, ever since we got married.  This past payday, though...I decided to do things a little differently. Instead of buying 2 ...

Being the complicated humans that we are, we have many wants and needs for many things. From the moment we are born (and even before then) we have basic physiological needs.  We need food and shelter to survive (I know that there are many more, but those are the basics). But it's not just physiological needs that we have.  We have other needs that are just as important - the need for a sense of safety and security, of acceptance and love - those are important too.  Too often...

I registered with www.bloginspace.com a few months ago. Blog In Space takes people's blogs and transmits them out into space on the offchance that there's some form of life out there - and if there is, that they'll read these blogs and get a good look at humanity on planet earth (how humanity REALLY is, not how the government want extraterristrials to think it is). My blog has been deemed 'most likely to be contacted' and will be on the front page on May 8th. How cool is that?!!?! ...