June and July doings

I've been away from home for the past 4 weeks. I am at "home" helping my sister. My brother in law has been fighting glioblastoma multiforme (if you scroll to the bottom you'll see the dismal prognosis.) for the past 11 years. For all intents and purposes, he beat it because when he was diagnosed 11 years ago, they gave him mere months to live. He has fought hard and received fabulous treatments. They really don't know what worked or why but obviously something did work. Now however, because the tumor is growing again, he is very much like a man with a traumatic brain injury. He is currently under hospice care.

This is a great picture of my BIL and niece taken the 2nd week I was here.

The past few weeks have been a true test of my mettle. I came here for many reasons. Obviously I came to help my sister, bro in law and niece, but I also came to help my 94 year old grandmother. She is at the point where living alone (in a two story home with laundry in the basement) is no longer a good option. We are trying to find the perfect place for her to live. My grandma is a feisty woman and it isn't easy merging her needs and desires! This task alone could drive a person to drink!

This is honestly the best picture I've seen of her in years!!! She actually smiled!

I came here for a another reason too. I've been too wrapped up in my own emotions and needs lately. I've been to self centered. Here, I've had no time here to worry about myself and and my self indulgent thoughts and behaviors. I don't have time to worry about piddly, unchangeable things. It is all about life, death and living with dignity. There is only time to do the necessities and certainly no time for self indulgence. It has been an emotionally and physically draining few weeks but ones that I wouldn't trade for anything.

I've had the intention to make baked potato bags for all of the volunteers that help my sister. I bought the fabric and borrowed the sewing machine the first week I was here. I still only have 4 made...uhm....two of those 4 are pressed correctly. I will get them finished this week before I leave. Hopefully, I'll be able to get a picture and blog about them. In the meantime....