A Celebration for Mom

A Celebration for Mom


August 27, 2007 was the day the Lord called my mom home. After her memorial service back in 2007 we all came together and had a celebration in my backyard. That day was the hardest day of my life. It felt like someone had torn my heart out and punch me in the gut all at the same time. So many people came that day and I know she was looking down on us and happy that they had all came to comfort us and to say their goodbyes to her. I had bought 50 white balloons to send to the heavens filled with love from everyone of us. My daughter Rachel had gone to the hospital the week before to see her grandma and to sing to her. She loved to hear Rachel sing and so did many at the hospital that day. She ended up singing for another that was facing end of life and it was nice for that family too.

At our first celebration Rachel sang the song my mother loved to hear. “One Moment in Time” and as the last words of the song say, “I will be free” we all let our balloons go to float up to the heavens.

Every year on this day we get together and have our celebration. We talk about what color of balloons we want to have each year and how many we think we should buy. The second year we did pink and last year it was yellow. This year my sister Estelle decided we should do red so we could see them is the sky better and she was so right. The red balloons against the blue sky were beautiful.

I missed her so much when I was sick, something about moms that just seem to make everything better. The first year she was gone I kinda checked out and just went through the motions of everyday life. In time things did get better but I still have days that I miss her like crazy.

Today my son ask me if I was OK and I told him yes, and he said “you seem sad” I told him, I’m not sad I’m just remembering my mom and all the things that I miss about her. I know she’s looking down on us and doesn’t want us to be sad and everyday when she walks with God she says a prayer for us.

Today when the end of the song was sang and the red balloons floated away to the heavens I remembered her smile and the love she brought to our family.

The Human Pin Cushion

Acupuncture


I never had hot flashes! What in the world was I going to do walking around all hot and sweaty all the time? The hot flashes started during chemo and they called it chemo pause. Not menopause. At my age this should have been familiar to me but you know how I do stuff, always my own way.

During radiation it got to the point that I could no longer rest at night because of theses crazy power surges that would attack through the day and night. After many complaints to the doctor they finally gave me a prescription for a medication that they said might help.

I guess this hot flash thing is kind of a mystery, they don’t know exactly why it happens but one thing is for sure. The hormone estrogen plays a big role. And the little pill did help some, not completely but any relief from this was good.

Six weeks after the radiation stopped came the Tamoxfin, the little pill that I would take for the next five years to block estrogen from my breast and give me assurance and make sure the cancer did not return.

If I thought the hot flashes were bad before I was not at all prepare for what was to come. I couldn’t go anywhere without having one after another and they would get worse when I was out. They would come about every half hour 24 hours a day.

I started reading about supplements and soon was taking anything that might possibly help. Flax seed oil, sage and more. One of the articles mentioned acupuncture. I can’t say I love needles and the last year I have felt like a human pin cushion anyway but I decided it was worth a try. Americans are conditioned to trauma when needles are involved. But these tiny instruments are about 1/8 of a human hair, that’s really tiny!

I was surprised at how comfortable and relaxing the treatment was and it has actually worked! This treatment has been around for thousands of years and has been very effective for me. For now I will continue to have weekly treatments with the tiny needles and pray it continues to work.

Destiny

Recently I have found myself doing a lot of reminiscing and I know why. With the recent loss of a long time friend my mind started wondering about where everyone was and what must they be doing now. I started a search on FB for more of my past friend and didn’t have much luck. I have a few friends from my past on FB. Some who like to communicate and others that don’t. Some of the guys are not easy to correspond with, I’m not sure why? Maybe they have significant others that don’t feel comfortable with other women talking to their men? I don’t want them; if I did I would have had them! I’m happily married and not interested in anything more than friends. OK, now that I got that out of the way.


I was able to find some of my old friends from the phone book and added some of them to my friends list on FB. I even have one of the guy’s wives as a friend and am getting to know her. She must be very secure in her relationship. I’m happy for him.

After doing some Google searches I came across a sight called Northwest Music. To my surprise I found old pictures of my teenage friends that played in a local band called Rainbow Trails. These guys were my close friends and entertained me for many years. As time went on and we all started turning 21 I would go to the club to see my friends entertain.

Things change and a couple of the band members left. The two that were left were brothers and found a new guitar player and a new drummer and continued to entertain all over the Seattle area.

I had spent some time in Germany and couldn’t wait to see my old friends when I returned. My girlfriend and I went  to check out the new additions to the band. That was the night I met my husband, the new drummer would turn out to be the man I would marry. That was 33 years ago, and today he plays in a band called Gun-shy, still playing his drums and performing with some great seasoned musicians. PS The girl is our daughter.

Brian in the back on the left.

Goodbye My Friend

I logged onto FB the other night and was crushed and shocked to see a post from an old friend saying that another of our friends had passed away from colon cancer. It sent a sense of sadness through me that I can’t find the words to describe.


It was late in the evening and I found myself alone with memories racing through my head. The last time I saw Dave had been years before. He had often crossed my mind because I knew we lived in the same town for some time and very close but we never seemed to cross paths.

My friend was sweet and kind and very handsome and I said a prayer for him and ask God to please be with his family. He was way too young and it’s so hard to understand but I keep my faith in God and praise him in this storm.

Back Yard Wedding

We started preparing the back yard for the big day at the beginning of the summer. Just a little work each day and soon the wedding day was upon us and the back yard looked magical. It rained the day before and the day after but we were blessed with a beautiful day for the occasion.

My energy level sucks! I use to work circles around everyone but I was exhausted from the preparation.

Now Jeff is married to his soul mate, wonderful Stacie, and we welcomed her into our family. Jeff is my oldest daughter Amy Jo and her husband Jake’s oldest son.

I wish them much Happiness.