A mother of a large brood of children writes down her thoughts in the course of a few days.
Wednesday, August 6, 2003~
I sit here, at my desk, in my bedroom, listening to the shrieks and happy noises my children are making as they play outside in the backyard. I also am looking at two of my children, Kwame' (aged 3 1/2) and Jodie (12), who are both lying on my bed, taking a well-deserved nap. I am wanting to make sure they don't fall off the bed, especially Jodie, who is unable to walk, and lest she fall off the bed, I don't want her to hurt herself, since she can't get herself back up onto the bed.
My husband, Bill, is out in the backyard, keeping a close eye on the kids in the play, and the older kids are watching out over the younger ones as well. My husband is off work today, and I took a personal day off, just to be with my children. I have been working a lot of extra hours as of late, and I am TIRED. I will be off the weekend, so I will have plenty of time to spend with the family.
Thursday, August 7, 2003~
I just got home from work, and, as usual, it was busy. I have been taking care of a lady named Lucretia Patterson, who is a injured veteran, and she is in our hospital for therapy. She lost both her legs in Iraq, trying to fight for our freedom, and she is facing surgery tomorrow. Lucretia is only in her 20's, and she is in incredible pain. I try to relieve some of her suffering, but hardly anything we give her touches the pain. We could give her some morphine, but she is allergic to morphine; if she were to get morphine, she would hallucinate and try to pull out all her lines; and that would NOT be a good thing. (Whenever Lucretia hallucinates, she sees giant spiders on the walls and ceiling, and she is very phobic to spiders.)
It is kind of hot here, but not as hot as Texas. Texas is in the 100's, with 110 degree heat indicies; and people there are being told to stay indoors because the ozone in the air is so bad. In fact, according to the Weather Channel, they are calling for a Level Purple ozone alert on Friday (tomorrow), which is VERY unhealthy, and they are telling people, especially the elderly, young children, and those with respiratory problems, to stay INDOORS as much as possible.
My daughters, Deborah, and Ronee', and also Rhiannon (as well as my son, Johnny, and my hubby, Bill) would have a problem with their breathing if the ozone were that bad here in Nashville. All but Johnny and Rhi have asthma, and they all have problems breathing from time to time. (Rhi has cystic fibrosis, and Johnny has weakened lungs due to muscular dystrophy.) All take breathing treatments, and Johnny, Rhi, Debby, and Ronee' require oxygen at times to help in their breathing. PLUS Bill is severely allergic to certain things in the air, and when the ozone is bad, he suffers badly with his asthma. They would NOT do well if they were in Texas right now....
Heard from my sister, Crystal, who lives not far from us here in Nashville. She is getting a new wheelchair to replace the one she has used since coming down with transverse myelitis a year ago. (The last wheelchair she had..the current one she is using--is a used one, and it is getting to be in pretty bad shape.) She is partially paralyzed even now, and she is busy trying to take care of two small children, one a 3-year-old, and the other, an infant. She is doing very well at the moment, but she is still trying to adjust to her situation as best as she possibly can. (Derick is the little baby--he's less than a year old--, and Mogene Elizabeth is the 3-year-old and is a little handful.)
Friday, August 8, 2003~
It is raining here; the kids are inside, trying to amuse themselves, and, at times, the noise level is incredible. I tell them to keep the noise down, but so far, it hasn't had any affect on them. They still continue to shout and yell, and I am getting ready to bump a few heads together if they don't stop it. The dogs barking and the cats meowing only seems to add to the fray.
I am off from now until Monday; and believe you me, I am going to take advantage of it as much as possible (now, if ONLY I can get a break from the children; that would be HEAVENLY!!).
The weather is cooler, thanks to the cloudy skies and the rain; and the kids are in the den, playing different games or playing with each other. Ronee' isn't playing at the moment; she isn't feeling too good, thanks to the rain (she has arthritis, and she is really feeling it in her joints today). She is sitting beside me, drawing on some extra sheets of paper, trying to keep her mind off her pain. She took something for her pain, and is waiting for her medicine to take effect. It is supposed to cool to the 70's by Monday, and be nice; after the recent spate of hot days we have had here in Nashville recently, we could really use some relief from the heat!
I also have been trying to get some of my book done; only did a few pages earlier today before the kids started demanding my attention. I would really love to get some more of my book done before the November deadline! It is already August; I only have about three months before I have to submit my manuscript to the publishers! As you know, I am writing a book about my family, and the title of my forthcoming book is "A Family Made out of Miracles and Rainbows: The Sandusky Family Story--A True Story of Love and International Adoption". (WHEW! Long title, huhh? LOL) I already have at least six chapters done; have at least 14 to go before my book is done. YIKES!! Not MUCH time AT all!
thank you for allowing us to see into your character's life through this brief journal entry...louisiana sure has her hands full! :) kids (and more and more and more kids LOL), hubby, working, writing *whew* does she ever sleep??? LOL)
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