I was asked recently what my rules were for smoking in my home. . I am sorry to say I smoked also and it was easy for rules with me. You had to go out doors for a cigarette and I was surprised that anyone would. I was a heavy smoker—up to 4 packs a day!!! Now I wonder how I managed but it just seemed like I lit one and put it down and than another. Dr. Pitkin tried many times to get me to quit but I was not to smart. I thought I could escape the bad effects. That thought stayed with me for many years and than my husband died. He did not have lung cancer so I still thought I was OK. Than my second husband died and this was from lung cancer!! Now I am getting worried and the final blow was when my sister dies from lung cancer.
I decided I better do something because this was serious. I was diagnosed as COPD. I knew now I had to quit but nothing seemed to work Than I discovered the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I called and they got me in for the eight day program. This is easy to do—all you need to do is look up Mayo Clinic Rochester Minnesota and look for the NICOTINE DEPENDENCE CENTER. This is a remarkable place. You only stay for 8 days ( a lot of insurance programs pay for this ) and when you are out eight days later your smoke free!! I am happy to say I have never smoked again. I can't believe it only took 8 days to quit when I tried for many years!!! My big regret is I didn't quit sooner.
I had a lady who had lung cancer and was on oxygen 24 hours . She was so nice but so sick, weighed about 90 pounds. It was very hard for her to even walk to the table to eat let alone go to the bathroom. She just loved living in my home-thought this was just the cats meow!! Than one day the great STATE OF NEW YORK decided I could not have people on oxygen. It seems you had to be a nurse to set the dial on the oxygen machine. It didn't matter that I had been in business for 20 years they knew more than me. Of course I had many folks on oxygen, dear reader, over the years. The thing that made this so bad was she wanted to stay in my home for her last days. I made a phone call and asked if someone could let me know when the state was going to do an inspection. The person agreed so I waited. Sure enough one morning I got a phone call and all the person said was “Today is it”. There was no name or anything. So we waited. I had told Lucy what was going on and she knew she would lose her oxygen for about 10 minutes. It wasn't long and the inspector arrived. When they came in we introduced everyone and they went to check on the bedrooms. As soon as they came out of the bedroom Lucy said she needed to go to the bathroom. We were lucky because I had four bathrooms. Lucy goes in the bathroom and yells out she is going to take a shower. I said that was ok to go right ahead. I asked her if she needed help and she said “No”!! About 5 minutes later the inspector left and we rescued Lucy from the bathroom where she set with her oxygen on and the water just running. She had the biggest smile on you ever saw!!! We had put the oxygen machine in the tub and draped the shower curtain over it. It worked. Lucy lived about three more months and died in her sleep but I know she was happy to be where she was loved. Lucy was a person who only had her Social Security and there were not many places you could live on that but she was one of "My People" so she stayed. I always tried to cooperate with the state but I dealt with people not rules. If I complied with their rules many people would not have been with me, dear reader, but I will save that story for another time.....
Love to all Red
Friday, December 21, 2007
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Elderly Wearing Make-up
I realize I haven't posted anything for a while and I am sorry for the delay. I took a few days off for my daughters wedding and than eye surgery. My daughters wedding was just lovely even if the piano player didn't show because we had a storm. Imagine that!!!! The only terrible part of the wedding was the fact that the bakery where she ordered the cake forgot to make it!! I do not understand how this happened but the Hotel came through with a small cake. This will be a story for her to tell for a long time but it could have been worse.... she could have been stood up!! They managed to get married and leave on a cruise before the big snow storm hit so it ended nicely.
I had eye surgery the next morning to correct a drooping eye lid. I asked the Doctor if he could fix my whole body but he declined. I really droop in places (:>)!! I figure all the marks and wrinkles have a story of their own and why ruin this piece of art by looking beautiful??? I remember one time when I had Fran Williams, a dear friend, do my make-up. She worked very hard and it took quite a while. I must confess I really did look great. When I went to pick up my grandchildren they didn't know me so that was the end of make-up. I just go with what I have and smile a lot.
It is rather ironic as we get older we do not worry so much about that. With my people I could count on my hand the number of ladies who still put on make-up.
There was a lady called Mary, who was about 84 when she came to my home. She had fallen in her home and broke her wrist and when someone finally checked on her it had healed quite crooked. Mary was about 5'4” and very pretty for her age. She had been a blond but now was a silver color and from her pictures you could tell she was really a beautiful lady. Mary was very cheerful, always laughing and really enjoyed telling stories.I asked her once why she never married and she said “If you get married you only get one fur coat and I have three!!” She had worked as a waitress in many classy places in Saratoga and at one time had waited on Sophia Tucker. Sophia gave Mary 3 $1.00 bills which she signed and told Mary someday they would be worth money. Mary still had them when she came to live in my home. I remember when Mary told us how her father was a boot-legger. He had a garage with doors on both ends. When he came home he put the car in the garage than later in the evening he “loaded” it and drove out the other end. During the day he repaired shoes!! She remembered going to the Lakehouse with her boyfriend and Al Capone's bodyguards sat on the roof with guns. When Mary was telling stories everyone was listening. They forgot all their problems just listening to Mary.
It was always interesting how my people would look out for each other. I will write more about Mary later because she gave so much if herself to all who knew her.
I know blogs are supposed to be short but it is hard to write short stories about some people, dear readers, so please let me know if they are too long....
Love Red
I had eye surgery the next morning to correct a drooping eye lid. I asked the Doctor if he could fix my whole body but he declined. I really droop in places (:>)!! I figure all the marks and wrinkles have a story of their own and why ruin this piece of art by looking beautiful??? I remember one time when I had Fran Williams, a dear friend, do my make-up. She worked very hard and it took quite a while. I must confess I really did look great. When I went to pick up my grandchildren they didn't know me so that was the end of make-up. I just go with what I have and smile a lot.
It is rather ironic as we get older we do not worry so much about that. With my people I could count on my hand the number of ladies who still put on make-up.
There was a lady called Mary, who was about 84 when she came to my home. She had fallen in her home and broke her wrist and when someone finally checked on her it had healed quite crooked. Mary was about 5'4” and very pretty for her age. She had been a blond but now was a silver color and from her pictures you could tell she was really a beautiful lady. Mary was very cheerful, always laughing and really enjoyed telling stories.I asked her once why she never married and she said “If you get married you only get one fur coat and I have three!!” She had worked as a waitress in many classy places in Saratoga and at one time had waited on Sophia Tucker. Sophia gave Mary 3 $1.00 bills which she signed and told Mary someday they would be worth money. Mary still had them when she came to live in my home. I remember when Mary told us how her father was a boot-legger. He had a garage with doors on both ends. When he came home he put the car in the garage than later in the evening he “loaded” it and drove out the other end. During the day he repaired shoes!! She remembered going to the Lakehouse with her boyfriend and Al Capone's bodyguards sat on the roof with guns. When Mary was telling stories everyone was listening. They forgot all their problems just listening to Mary.
It was always interesting how my people would look out for each other. I will write more about Mary later because she gave so much if herself to all who knew her.
I know blogs are supposed to be short but it is hard to write short stories about some people, dear readers, so please let me know if they are too long....
Love Red
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