Our trip to Duke last week was filled with reports on Lee, from Excellent, to Normal, to Great! In fact, his reports were so good that his lovely female doctor just gave him a huge hug before she began her exam and update! After she finished hugging Lee, she turned and hugged me too! We all just stood there laughing and enjoying this special time together like old friends.
I suppose you could say that is indeed what we are. This doctor was the one who had followed Lee from the beginning, before rehabilitation for the transplant and immediately after for the first year. He had, for the past two years, been transferred to other physicians as she continued to remain with those who were new transplants before and after. You can imagine the elation on the part of Lee and this doctor when she expressed her happiness at seeing him looking so well! After she completed her exam and review of all the tests that were done that day, her only advice was for him to exercise more! Two more medicines were reduced and his next visit will be the 2nd week of January, 2014.
After sharing the good news with our children, daughter Julia warned us to not get too complacent, but to continue to be on guard at all times. She reminded us that so much of his good fortune is probably due to the fact that we have continued, during these past three years, to pay attention to our surroundings, to people, to signs of flu, and any contagious condition, and to limit our time in places that would be detrimental to Lee's new lifestyle. It is good to have her remind us when we tend to forget and go about business as usual, or as our lives might have been before his illness and his transplant.
Still, it is so wonderful to see him much like he once was, and to reflect on the goodness of life as it is today. I am reminded that my life, along with our children and grandchildren's lives would have been painfully empty without him these past three years. Lee has often asked me why he was allowed to survive, when so many believed he would not. Of course, I do not have the answer for that, but I have witnessed many happenings during the past two years that have been advantageous to others because Lee is still here! He has been allowed to live to see his two great-grandchildren, and to continue to enjoy the rest of his family. He has made many contributions to others by sharing his story and speaking on behalf of the organ donor foundation. He has not wasted his time at all. He and I both realize the sanctity of life, and we are reminded of this as Lee continues each of his prayers with:
"Thank-you, Lord, for Yet Another Day".
More Later.............................................Brenda
Sunday, August 25, 2013
Monday, August 19, 2013
End of Summer Reunions!
Now that all the hustle and bustle of gardening, preserving, and beach- tripping are behind us for the Summer, the time has arrived to catch-up with family, friends and long-ago acquaintances from High School! August and September have become the two months of the year for those activities.
I love August! It feels good to slow down the pace a bit, to know that the shelves, freezer and pantry are stocked for the colder weather seasons, and to read a good book without the guilt for letting a chore be delayed a while longer. The days are beginning to get a bit shorter, reminding us to finish the day a bit earlier, and sometimes we even get a small glimpse of how those Fall mornings will feel.
In our family, it is also a time for birthdays that begin with mine, and culminate with six others before the end of September! There will be lots of gatherings for those birthdays, not to mention the consuming of calories with a host of cakes!
Back to the reunions..................On August 10, 11 & 12, we were fortunate to have a Herman Sibling reunion. In years past, we have from time to time, had the Herman Reunion here at the farm to include, in addition to siblings, the children , grandchildren, and those Aunts and Uncles who still survived. This year, by request from my brother Jim (Atlanta), we just had the four siblings. We are all now Medicare recipients ( with the exception of youngest brother, Dennis, who just filled his application to be effective Oct. 4 of this year). Jim and wife Judy arrived Friday and spent the night. On Saturday, we met with sister Bonnie in Lenoir, along with Dennis and wife Betsy for lunch in the Café 1841. This was the former Bernhardt-Seagle Hardware we all remembered as a child. We all enjoyed the memories held by this café and shared stories and laughter around the table. Our three spouses patiently tolerated our stories remembered. The reunion continued here on the farm as my brothers stayed for another night. Even though many years have passed since the three of us awoke to coffee in the same house, it was in that small window of time that we rediscovered the familiarity from long ago.
This past Saturday, August 17, was Lee's 55th high-school class reunion from Hickory High. He had been busy planning this event since January of this year. He was the class President and has for every reunion been an active participant along with the other officers from his class. Again, it was an amazing night to just see him actively circulating among the crowd, enjoying every minute of this gathering. He was also the M.C. and as I took the many photos, I was filled with pride for what he is now able to accomplish! It was a wonderful evening!
The next reunion will be for my high-school graduating class from Hudson High. This will be on September 14th and we look forward to seeing all of my old friends again.
Aaah! August! No holidays, No more harvesting, No putting off that good book to read. Time to visit with family and friends, drink extra cups of coffee with the paper on foggy mornings........................Just August, Simple August!
More Later...................................Brenda
I love August! It feels good to slow down the pace a bit, to know that the shelves, freezer and pantry are stocked for the colder weather seasons, and to read a good book without the guilt for letting a chore be delayed a while longer. The days are beginning to get a bit shorter, reminding us to finish the day a bit earlier, and sometimes we even get a small glimpse of how those Fall mornings will feel.
In our family, it is also a time for birthdays that begin with mine, and culminate with six others before the end of September! There will be lots of gatherings for those birthdays, not to mention the consuming of calories with a host of cakes!
Back to the reunions..................On August 10, 11 & 12, we were fortunate to have a Herman Sibling reunion. In years past, we have from time to time, had the Herman Reunion here at the farm to include, in addition to siblings, the children , grandchildren, and those Aunts and Uncles who still survived. This year, by request from my brother Jim (Atlanta), we just had the four siblings. We are all now Medicare recipients ( with the exception of youngest brother, Dennis, who just filled his application to be effective Oct. 4 of this year). Jim and wife Judy arrived Friday and spent the night. On Saturday, we met with sister Bonnie in Lenoir, along with Dennis and wife Betsy for lunch in the Café 1841. This was the former Bernhardt-Seagle Hardware we all remembered as a child. We all enjoyed the memories held by this café and shared stories and laughter around the table. Our three spouses patiently tolerated our stories remembered. The reunion continued here on the farm as my brothers stayed for another night. Even though many years have passed since the three of us awoke to coffee in the same house, it was in that small window of time that we rediscovered the familiarity from long ago.
This past Saturday, August 17, was Lee's 55th high-school class reunion from Hickory High. He had been busy planning this event since January of this year. He was the class President and has for every reunion been an active participant along with the other officers from his class. Again, it was an amazing night to just see him actively circulating among the crowd, enjoying every minute of this gathering. He was also the M.C. and as I took the many photos, I was filled with pride for what he is now able to accomplish! It was a wonderful evening!
The next reunion will be for my high-school graduating class from Hudson High. This will be on September 14th and we look forward to seeing all of my old friends again.
Aaah! August! No holidays, No more harvesting, No putting off that good book to read. Time to visit with family and friends, drink extra cups of coffee with the paper on foggy mornings........................Just August, Simple August!
More Later...................................Brenda
Tuesday, August 13, 2013
Post-Harvest 2013
I suppose you noticed that I have been away from the blog since the first week of July! Most of my time has been spent between the upstairs and downstairs kitchens here on the farm. In spite of an unusually wet July, Lee was fortunate to have a productive garden. Our harvesting began as soon as we returned from our July 4th vacation! When I say that Lee had a garden, let me explain: Lee does not believe in planting a small garden. He plants INDUSTRIAL! I know how much he loves cucumber pickles, but this year he went a bit overboard! That garden produced a bushel of white cucumbers every other day for a period of three to four weeks! I canned twenty-four quarts, his sister canned approximately the same, our neighbors were given cucumbers, our niece also canned many quarts until I finally announced, ENOUGH! The remaining cucumbers were picked by our brother-in-law, who in turn, shared them with his congregation at church! We were all relieved when the cukes were gone.
As if the cucumbers were not enough to keep me busy, the green beans, corn and zucchini reached maturity during the same period. I am fortunate to have a separate kitchen in the basement that is set-up for harvesting and canning. So it was, or seems that I only came out of the lower level during a period of one week to either sleep or eat!
As soon as we had these tasks completed, we made another trip to the beach to spend with my children and some of my grandchildren. We can no longer combine the two families in the same beach house because our numbers have increased and the house would need to have an additional six bedrooms! Even though we miss having them all together, we are able to have better quality time with each group. Each week was special to both Lee and me.
Returning from that beach trip left no time again. The tomatoes were ready to can, and there was more corn in the garden. Our neighbors graciously shared three gallons of already picked blueberries, so once again I was allocated to the "canning zone" of our house to resume the role of freezing and canning, and producing jams for the winter.
Actually, I am not complaining.....I am elated to see Lee returning to a part of his life before his illness. It brings him great joy to garden, and he helps me with the chore of all of those mentioned. We feel so blessed to see him able to resume those activities that were unimaginable three years ago! Looking at him today is seeing a return of Lee to the person he was prior to his illness in November 2009. He is amazing!
Speaking of Lee, he just popped his head in the back door to remind me that he will be returning with a bushel of peaches, and some more tomatoes, and by the way, the okra is ready!
Oh well.......................................................................................More Later........................
Brenda
As if the cucumbers were not enough to keep me busy, the green beans, corn and zucchini reached maturity during the same period. I am fortunate to have a separate kitchen in the basement that is set-up for harvesting and canning. So it was, or seems that I only came out of the lower level during a period of one week to either sleep or eat!
As soon as we had these tasks completed, we made another trip to the beach to spend with my children and some of my grandchildren. We can no longer combine the two families in the same beach house because our numbers have increased and the house would need to have an additional six bedrooms! Even though we miss having them all together, we are able to have better quality time with each group. Each week was special to both Lee and me.
Returning from that beach trip left no time again. The tomatoes were ready to can, and there was more corn in the garden. Our neighbors graciously shared three gallons of already picked blueberries, so once again I was allocated to the "canning zone" of our house to resume the role of freezing and canning, and producing jams for the winter.
Actually, I am not complaining.....I am elated to see Lee returning to a part of his life before his illness. It brings him great joy to garden, and he helps me with the chore of all of those mentioned. We feel so blessed to see him able to resume those activities that were unimaginable three years ago! Looking at him today is seeing a return of Lee to the person he was prior to his illness in November 2009. He is amazing!
Speaking of Lee, he just popped his head in the back door to remind me that he will be returning with a bushel of peaches, and some more tomatoes, and by the way, the okra is ready!
Oh well.......................................................................................More Later........................
Brenda
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