Goodbyes are very hard

Saying goodbye
Tomorrow would have been my Wedding anniversay - Dick and I spent many happy years together the last 12 years of his life were very hard for him, He was a strong man and other than having Mumps when he was 44 years old he never had an illness. never took time of work.
When he had his first heart attack he had been working in the garden - Lyn happened to glance
out of the window and saw her Dad holding his chest and not looking too well. She ran up the
garden to see what the matter was...he said he was OK, but she knew he was far from that, and
said she was going to telephone me at work - he insisted she didn't - but she did anyway. I told
her to ring the Doctor and I would be home shortly.I raced home, and by the time I arrived the Doctor was there, he confirmed that Dick had a heart attack and was going to ring for an Ambulance ...to take him to the hospital....and that he was to keep lying down until it arrived....well he didn't and when the ambulance arrived he answered the
door, he was well Suntanned and looked extremely well, they asked him where the patient was,
Dick told them he was the patient, they insisted that he lie down in the ambulance as they would
get wrong if anything should happen to him. on the way - he went to the Hospital against his will I might add, and was kept in for about 10 days,

His second heart attack was about 2 years later, he was planning a surprise birthday party for me, but as he was taken back into hospital this never took place.... While in hospital he suffered a
Stroke....he was not paralyzed, but it did effect his brain and speech, he could not speak and when he tried to the words would come out all jumbled and not as he intended them to. it took months of speech therapy and all of his will to overcome this....which to some degree he did....It did effect his hearing ~ funnily enough he could always understand what I said to him.
We go ahead a couple of more years, Dick picked me up from work and said he had not been
feeling well all day... during that evening he was taken bad and collapsed in the bedroom - he was trying to get up off the floor and pushing very hard to do so, I tried to help him but being very small I was of little help.
..I phoned the Doctor who advised me to call an ambulance which I did - I rang Lyn to let her know what was happening - she said she would meet me at the hospital....I waited and waited for
the ambulance to arrive half an hour passed then nearly an hour - Lyn called and wanted to know what was happening.I explained the ambulance had not arrived.... she contacted our Doctor ...who then ordered an Ambulance - it arrived quite soon after that....the paramedics had quite a job to get Dick onto a stretcher...because by then he was barely conscious,
When we arrived at the hospital they did lots of tests, and admitted him onto a ward....
When we visited the next morning the Doctor asked us questions, and he said they understood
Dick had been abroad, I told them he couldn't hear very well and he had actually been on the
Norfolk Broads Not Abroad...
..The Doctor was surprised as Dick had contacted Legionnaire's desease - and this for most people is fatal
.....He was in intensive care for about a week - and thankfully got better against all the odds...and came out of hospital after about three weeks.
I remember sitting having breakfast with him one morning and remarked how well he had been for about a couple of months....when I glanced at his arms - they were covered in big red marks he had got shingles.
Time went on and we got on with life as best we could, Dick coped very well with his disabilities,
and always enjoyed the visits of our grandchildren and Great grandchildren. who he loved dearly.
He was having a bit of trouble with pain in his knees, and on a visit to the hospital they said they
would do a small operation on both knees to help with the pain - He was booked to go into hospital just before Christmas, but this was cancelled at the last moment and deferred until early February...
Christmas came and went and February arrived ,,,Dick went into hospital....the operation went
well, But he caught a bug and was put into isolation, he was very ill and later transfered to Critical care, he then caught another bug, and was put on life support....It was up and down - some days we we were told he was improving ....the next he was getting worse...then holding his own...., this went on for a month - one day when Lyn and I went
into see him he pulled me towards him and gave me a huge big kiss then he did the same to Lyn....
Later on we were called into see the Doctor who told us there was nothing more they could do as
all of Dicks organs were shutting down.
..How do you say goodbye to someone you loved so dearly...and I never imagined us not being together....(we had been together since I was 16) .it is an impossibility......One I have yet to come to terms with..
He had lapsed into a coma.....
He didn't regain consciousness and died March 3rd 2003
The year before Lyn's husband Richard died in April from a massive heart attack - they told us it was so quick he would not have felt a thing he was a big strong man - A farmer who worked all hours that God sent him.
Lyn and I decided she to sell her cottage on the farm and me to sell my bungalow - we put
the money together and bought the Bungalow we live in today. It is a Big place with 5 bedrooms - but we both felt we needed our own space and needed a new beginning......
Ally

Christmas Day

    

Lyn and William

Now where shall I begin ~ are you sitting comfortably ~ we were privileged to Baby sit William Christmas Eve and Christmas day Adam was also with us ~ as Vicky  drove down to see her family a 600 mile round trip ~ but she is  back home today ~

It was fun watching William undo his Christmas presents ~ well I said undo more like ripping them apart ~ mind you he was not interested in the contents he seemed happy enough just tearing the paper apart

One relative had packed an Empty box for him which he did play with ~ next year we have decided to just pack empty boxes ~  Maybe as he will be two and a Half years old next Christmas he will be more interested in the contents than he was this year

Having a small child in the house on Christmas day was just lovely ~ we all enjoyed it so much ~ he is such a happy little boy ~ sleeps the whole night through ~ and he makes us laugh especially when we walks around the house with one hand in his Jeans pocket just like a little old man ~

Adam is making a remarkable recovery ~ and the scar on his forehead and hand look so much better  ~ so Christmas had been very Happy at our house I hope you all had a wonderful one as well ~

The Night before Christmas

Wishing all my dear on line friends a very Happy Christmas and New Year  may you have Good Health Wealth and Happiness in 2009

 

THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
by Clement Clarke Moore
or Henry Livingston

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Dancer! now, Prancer and Vixen!
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As I drew in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good-night." 

 

Update on Adam

Adam is still with us ~ but going home tonight ~ (after we have had Dinner:o)

he is making a good recovery ~ I have been busy and unable to get to the computer much ~

above is a picture of his car ~ Makes me wonder how he survived ~ and is getting along so well ~

will catch up with everyone as soon as I can

Thanks for the prayers I am sure they helped him ~

Ally x

Father Christmas hiding under our tree with one of his little helpers

 

Our Christmas tree which Lyn decorated today ~

 

Update on Adam ~

 

He is a very Lucky Young Man to be alive ~  he was driving along a country lane and on a bend he came face to face with a sugarbeet  lorry and swerved to miss it ~ but there was nowhere for him to go ~ His car was crushed  and he was trapped inside ~ His airbag failed to open ~

he has a cut from the middle of his temple right down and through his eyebrow ~ he has a broken hand plus a big cut on that hand and it is very swollen ~ plus other cuts and bruises ~ He has had a scan as they suspected a small bleed in his brain ~  he is really down ~ He said he can't remember a thing about the actual collision ~

 

He is coming to stay with us Wednesday through to  the weekend  as Vicky  is going home to see her parents and is being a Bridesmaid to one of her family ~ so it is a trip that cannot be cancelled ~

 

Rest assured we will take good care of him until she returns ~ and no doubt we will spoil him :o)

 

Please keep him in your prayers

 

 

The power of Prayer

 

A very dear young friend of ours was involved in a very bad car accident this morning ~ he sustained head injuries ~ suspected hand@arm fracture ~ Lacerations and other injuries ~ he has had a scan and is being kept in hospital ~ Adam is such a lovely young man and Father ~ thank goodness he did not have his Son in the car with him ~ as he had to be cut free from the wreckage ~ a prayer or two would be very much appreciated at this moment ~ Ally x