Emergency Room

Well, it has been quite a day.
Preston was having a good day, and was visiting with guys in the woodworking shop at the end of our driveway. He came into the house and told me he couldn't see. He kept saying it. His eyesight is very poor so I thought that was what he meant. He meant more than that. Sometimes he could see, sometimes he couldn't, it was so scary. I called hubby at work and told him to please come home and called the eye dr. They said to bring him in. After going to eye dr. and he couldn't see any problem with Preston's eyes, we were trying to get him back into car to go to ER and he could hardly talk, or hold his head up and said his hand was numb a few minutes before that. We thought he was having a stroke, so we drove to our family dr. and dr. wanted us to take him to ER because of the symptoms so we did that. He made a scene in the waiting room, yelling and saying his head was hurt and why didn't they call him back, etc. etc., finally they called him back and he laid down and almost went to sleep. He started to feel better after he laid down. They did a CT scan on his brain, but had nothing to compare it too. They said his ventricles were a little large in his brain, was that normal? I told the dr. he has hydracephlus and had a shunt for that, and he understood. Whether they are too big we won't know until I can get this cd they made me of the scan, to his neurosurgeon. When we got home he ate and started having a bad headache again and was getting upset. I gave him aleve and told him to lay down and he did and went to sleep and when he woke up he was ok. So I don't know what is going on. If the scan looks ok to the neurosurgeon, then will talk to psychiatrist and see if it could be cymbalta, that is the new medication he is on, and has been having headaches every since he went on it, but then skipped a couple of days after we started giving him the meds. at night, so I didn't even tell the dr. about it Thurs. But will now if the neurosurgeon thinks his shunt is doing ok; ask the psychiatrist about the cymbalta.
Just pray for us the rest of the weekend, that he will be ok, until we can talk to the neurosurgeon on Monday. Not sure any of us can handle another ER experience this weekend.
Missie was with friends, a dear family of 10, all day and this evening went to hear Ryan Dobson speak in Easley with the girls. She is spending the night with them. I guess when you have 8 children, 1 more doesn't make much of a difference??? I guess I won't ever know about that. They are precious, loving people, even the children. We certainly love them.
Well, I need to try and get some sleep. Never know what tomorrow will bring. Only God knows what is wrong with Preston and how to help him, and all of us!

Norma

Easter Sunday

Well, it is Easter Sunday. It is the day we celebrate our risen Lord!!! I am so glad we are not serving a dead God. HE IS ALIVE!!!
This a.m. Missie went to church with friends to their Easter program. It is a very big church, and along the charismatic line. She really enjoyed the program, and said it really touched her heart about the death of Jesus. I have been to their programs in the past, and they do great programs at Easter and Christmas. Then she came home for dinner and a while and then is gone to the nursing home service and from there on to church tonight. So she has had a full day for sure. But she loves it!!! She is a go-getter.
I stayed home with Preston this a.m. and went back to bed and had some much needed extra rest. Preston didn't get up until 10:40. Jr. went to church and enjoyed the service.
We are off in a few minutes to service tonight and to eat afterwards at the fellowship hall. It is always nice, except it can get so noisy in there. Sometimes the noise is hard on Preston. If it is not raining outside, he will go outside and sit on the step after he is done eating and that let's the rest of us finish eating and talking.
Well, back to school this week. Spring break is over. I know Missie is dreading it.

Norma

Mistake in last post

I need to proofread, and I didn't.
I meant to say that Preston is NOT doing so well right now, and that is why he cannot go to Sunday a.m. services right now.

Norma

Sad

Today I have been sad.
Preston is doing so well. He is having to stay home now on Sunday mornings. I hate that we cannot go together to Easter service, on Sun a.m. I love to go to church on Christmas and Easter, etc. But the Lord knows all about it. I have been in tears a few times today. Junior said I could go, but I said no, I went last Sunday a.m. and it is his turn, and it wouldn't be as special if we cannot go together! I don't feel complete without my hubby, especially to church. Missie is actually going with friends to their church in a.m. to their Easter program. She helped them set up for the play and clean the church yesterday, so she wanted to go to the program. I was so thrilled because this family has 8 eight children and they are "good children." They don't have the dress standards we do, but other than that, they are so sweet and the 15 yr. old dd and Missie had a good talk yesterday about dating, prematial sex, etc. She really helped Missie. She explained to Missie about courtship instead of dating, which I had already talked to her about. But Hannah really got through to Missie and for that I am thankful. Anyhow, they are picking her up by 8:30 in a.m. and talking her with them. I will stay with Preston, and hubby will go to our own church.
For Easter dinner, I am fixing ham which is cooking now, turkey ham, tossed salad, mashed potatoes and gravy, I love ham gravy, homemade rolls, cheesecake for dessert. There is cherry pie fill to put on the cheesecake for those who want it.
I made 4 kinds of cookies today, using splenda. Oatmeal, oatmeal choc. chip, choc. chip and peanut butter.
So now I need to go and wash dishes.

Norma

Time flies

Well, it has been a while since I posted. Things have been a bit hard with Preston. I figured out he was too sedated by one of his meds. so I cut back on it and he is doing much better, and going outside, and doing things rather than sleeping most of the time. BUT he is having bad headaches. I think it may be sinus??? But who knows. It could be a number of things when it comes to Preston.
Thurs. we go to the psychiatrist. We have a lot to talk about. I increased his bedtime dose of medication and cut the day time meds back by half. He cannot function and be doped up like that. But it is the medication that keeps him from getting agitated and violent. So it can be difficult.
Last night Missie and Preston played games on the kitchen table. It was so exciting to see them having fun together. Today they sat out in the woods and she read him a few chapter out of a book and he really liked the book.
Everyone here is in bed, and Missie is at a friend's for a sleepover. I like her at home, but they begged and begged and since it is spring break, we gave in. We are very particular about who she spends the night with.
Well, tomorrow is Friday. I am supposed to go by the dentist's tomorrow to get the back of my dentures shaved off some because I am gagging a lot with them in, and they said that they need to be shaved. It is at the other end of Greenville though, and traffic will probably be horrific. But Junior doesn't get off any other day on time for me to go. I am afraid that I will gag in church if I don't get them fixed tomorrow. Since the swellling of my mouth has gone down, I have started gagging. Oh the joys of dentures.
My mom has postponed her wedding for right now. They are having problems finding a place to live. She will be 75 in June and he will be 80 in May. They have been dating almost 2 years.
Missie and I have our reservations to fly to NY in June. My brother will meet us at Syracuse airport and drive us on into Canada. I got Missie a window seat, and she is so excited. She has never been on an airplane before. We will be gone from June 23 to June 29. Junior is taking vacation and staying with Preston. They both would rather stay at home. Jr. has projects around here he wants to get done. I can hardly wait to see my mom. It has been almost 3 years since I have seen her.

Goodnight everyone!

Tuesday

Well, today has been a bit of a hard day.
Preston got agitated when he got up which is unusual and wouldn't take his medication for a while. Once he took it and ate he did better, except he is so tired. He slept after breakfast, also slept this afternoon, and was so tired this evening and had a headache so went to bed. We think he might be battling a sinus problem or some kind of illness. He sleeps a lot if he is fighting an infection, or has sinus congestion.
I should have gone to a viewing tonight, for a lady in our church that passed away from cancer, but Preston didn't want me to leave him. So I didn't get to go and won't get to the funeral either tomorrow afternoon. I feel bad, I have known these people for years. But I cannot do what I cannot do. Jr. cannot take off work to go to the funeral.
Missie is on spring break. Tomorrow she goes to another homeschooling family's home and spends the day with them. They are going to a park and have a picnic. She will enjoy that. She played yesterday and today with the little neighbor girl. Tonight they disected a frog, and she loved it! She was showing her daddy and I different parts of the frog and the worms etc. that was in his stomach that he had eaten. It was a good science lesson for her.
Going to bed soon.
Hoping tomorrow will be better for us all.

Norma

Well, things have taken a twist. For the last 3 Sunday a.m.'s, when I would help Preston with his clothes for church, he would get agitated and start attacking me. It was because he was tired. So Missie and I went on, and he stayed home and Jr. stayed with him. After Missie and I left, Preston laid down and slept 2 1/2 more hours. So for right now, he won't be attending SS or morning worship. He hates to miss, but he realizes it is better for him, at least while we are working on his medication. He sleeps almost every a.m. after breakfast. The dr. hoped he would get over the extreme sleepiness as times goes on. We will see. It is a day by day thing with Preston. One day at a time is the only way to live. We take the good times as they come and the bad times as well. The outbursts and attacks are much fewer so we are thankful for that. He was able to go to church tonight and to the fellowship hall afterwards. But we left quite early because it was very noisy in there and it had been rainy outside. He usually goes out and sits on the step but it was too wet. But it was fine with me to come home. We were all about done anyhow. We have to just keep his stress level as low as possible, and everyone is happier.

My mouth is still bothering me. I have big bumps under my upper lip and it feels awful. There are pieces of bone or tooth coming through. I was able to get one piece out with tweezers. I can't wait for my mouth to heal. What an ordeal, but a lady at church tonight told me my dentures look nice!!! It is nice to have a nice smile again, and not be self conscious about my teeth. It just takes time.

Missie attended the nursing home service today and enjoyed it. The older people love her and she loves them. She has a heart for them. I am glad she goes with Wesley and Felicia Wilson to these services. There are 2 each month. She loves to sing too, and has a good voice, so many at church love to hear her sing.

Well, that is my update for today,

Norma




Norma