Life goes on

For Dave's birthday I had bought tickets to Matchbox Twenty but due to his Mum's passing he didn't want to go so I took Bec along with me (It was her first concert) I was hobbling on crutches and my knees were in absolute agony but that didn't deter me. I drove the ute as its an automatic so no gear changing which made it easier. We had great seats and had a fantastic time, Thirsty Merc was the lead in band. Matchbox Twenty came out and sang for a whole 2 hours.
The following week was spent at Dr's getting an X-ray of my right knee, and its also full of arthritis and has 3 spurs on the end of the bones, so I'm to have a CT (Arthogram) scan on Monday 28th, it takes around 40 minutes and dye is injected into the knee, so I will be in some discomfort from that so I've saved 1 endone for Monday.
On the 17 th I had my last cigarette, I've been feeling sick smoking them and my asthma was getting bad so I just stopped, it helped not going anywhere and not being around people who smoke, so Its been a week and the cravings have now passed. I'm really proud of myself as I've tried to quit that many times in the past couple of years. This time is forever as I don't want to end up like Peg dying from Lung Cancer. (Not that she smoked)
Dave's working today and is heading up to the farm tomorrow for the weekend to clean out some more of the sheds, we have had prospective clients(Dingee Historical Society) go through the house and we are now waiting to see what they offer. The society's house they are currently in is being demolished by the school to make way for a car park, so they need somewhere in the area to store all their stuff and to have the place used as a gathering house for any clubs that require space. So fingers crossed. Something has got to start going the right way for us, since moving over to Victoria we've had nothing but one disaster after another.

A death, a funeral & a hospital visit

All I can say what a crappy day Wednesday was. Dave had left early to go to Bendigo to help finalise some of the arrangements for the funeral that day. I came outside to put all my stuff in the car ready to pick up Bec to take her, Paige and myself to Bendigo. I noticed 2 cars stopped in the middle of the road and I saw a black cat lying in the middle, sure enough as I walked over I realised it was Molly, she had been hit by a car and left for dead, by the time I got to her she took her last breath, I burst into tears as I didn't have time to bury her as I had to get to Bendigo, so I picked her up and took her home and placed her near the gate to the back of the house. I cried all the way to Bec's. I'm not a cat lover but I had grown fond of her. We arrived in Bendigo at 12pm and went to Helen's place to get ready. We arrived at Napier Park funeral parlour at 12.45pm and the place was absolutely packed, standing room at the back. The family were all sitting at the front, it was a lovely service led by the hospital chaplain, candles were lit by Dianne, Helen, Ronald & Daryl. Then family tributes were spoken by Lauren, Brooke, Stacey, Ashlea & Caitlin. The Eulogy was done by Peg's niece Julie Sait & Dave (eldest boy). The music chosen for the reflection was "Beyond the rainbow's end". Caitlin read the reflection then the Lords prayer was said.
To end the service a lovely poem was read called

"The Road Home"

When I come to the end of the road
And the sun has set for me,
I want no rites in a gloom-filled room;
Why cry for a soul set free!
Miss me a little--but lot too long
And not with your head bowed low;
Remember the love that we once share
Miss me--but let me go!

For this is a journey we all must take
and each must go alone;
It's all a part of the Master's plan
A step on the road to home.
When you are lonely and sick of heart
Go to the friends we know
And bury your sorrows in doing good deeds,
Miss me but let me go...

The casket was carried out by sons David, Ronald, Daryl, son-in-law Ted, nephews Matt & Jamie and was led by Peg's brother Roy. The procession went to Eaglehawk Cemetery, prayers were said as the coffin was lowered, flowers were offered to anyone who wished to place them onto the coffin. Norm & Peg are together again.
We all went to the Botanical Gardens Hotel for the wake, there were so many people from all over, such as Hobart, Deneliquin, Geelong & Bendigo. As the trays of food were brought out I decided to help distribute the food, going from table to table. It was very dark inside and as I was called over to serve some people I fell over the stage, the tray went flying & so did I. I twisted both knees, jarred my back and hit my head, I was unable to move so an ambulance was called & I was taken to hospital, I puffed on the green stick all the way I knew nothing was broken but knew I had torn my ligaments in both knees. I was seen almost straight away, was given Panadine Forte and had x-rays taken of my left leg as that was the one that hurt the most & my back. When the doctor returned the pain was still the same so I was given Endone, all the x-rays showed was that I have arthritis in my left knee & lower spine (which I already knew), I was given a script and sent home. Dave had already left as he had to take Roy to the airport so I spent the night at Helens. Dave took the train the following morning to pick me up and take the ute home. When I got up Thursday morning I ached in places I never knew I had...bruises were already coming out on my arms, hands, chest & the bridge of my nose(where the tray hit) and my knees, when I went to stand up my right knee went from under me and that when I realised I had hurt both knees. I rang Fiona up to see if I could borrow her crutches until I could see my GP.
So hopefully nothing else will happen for awhile as they say things come in three's.

The passing of life

In my last post April 1st, I said Peg (Dave's mum) had 2 weeks to live well she never made it, she lasted 5 days. Dave drove up to Bendigo on Thursday afternoon, I remained at home as I was supposed to babysit Paige on Saturday night for Bec. On Friday afternoon I rang Dave and he said they had removed all of the drainage tubes and that she would pass away within 24 -48 hours so I jumped on the next train to Bendigo then caught a cab to the hospital. All the family were there so we sat with her until 1.30 am whilst waiting for a cab to take us to Helens I had a full blown panic attack with vomiting, dizziness and chest pain. We went back to Helen's place (Dave's sister) and went to bed. Got up at 8.30 am Saturday and went straight up the hospital. Pegs breathing had become more laboured and she was retaining fluid. Within 2 hours she had been given 4 doses of Morphine to help with the pain. Around 12.30 pm I went out to stretch my legs, Dave decided to go down to the lake and have a coffee and a bit of a break from the hospital. We returned to the hospital and got up to the room just as Peg took her last 2 breaths. It was an extremely emotional time. We all took turns to say our goodbyes then went to Helens place to have a cuppa and so the family could start organising the funeral, which is to take place on Wednesday. Dave & I returned home late Saturday evening, I slept most of the way home as I had taken an anxiety pill that afternoon as I was starting to develop another full blown panic attack. So I'm not looking forward to Wednesday but at least Peg is no longer suffering and at least she went quickly. I will always remember her favourite saying of "I'll say".

Dave's Birthday

Happy Birthday Dave, unfortunately he has to work tonight so no going out to dinner maybe on the weekend depending on what's happening with Peg (Dave's mum).
A couple of weeks ago she had been complaining of a consistent cough, the Doctor just said she had the flu but it was constant, anyway the finally x-rayed her and saw a shadow on her lung meanwhile she was also having gallbladder pains. They ending up admitting her and drained around 450 mls fluid from her lung, they put her on morphine for the pain, she was booked in for surgery (biopsy) to see what the shadow was, the Doctors even thought she may have inhaled a foreign body. Dave went up on the weekend and visited her and came home saying she's sitting up really chirpy looks good apart from the fact she's lost some weight. Then on the Thursday at 7.20 pm we got a call from Helen to come to Bendigo as they weren't sure if Peg was going to make it through the night, so we were in Bendigo by 9pm. I nearly died when I saw her she was yellow and grey at the same time, she had lost lots of weight, not the same person I saw a couple of months ago for her 80th birthday. They had taken her down for an x-ray earlier on and her lung collapsed, they drained another 850mls out and gave her more morphine, so she was in and out whilst we were there, I drove Fe home and Dave & Daryl came back together. So we've been waiting for the results and they finally came today she has end stage lung cancer its also in her chest plate, she has 1-2 weeks to live. So she's been moved to a hospice where her pain will be managed and that's as much as I know at this time.