How does one become proficient about going on and on about themselves in a blog? Must come with practice because I find myself at an -albeit rare- loss for words.
This summer has flown by with record speed. Caden and Brendan have a daily love/hate battle between being the best of friends and playmates to mortal enemies. *sighs* I've never played referee so often and for such extended periods of time! I think being a hockey ref would be less challenging!
I also never expected myself to EVER utter the words, "I can't wait for school to start" but alas I have, many Many times this summer! This proves my theory that even family, in large doses, isn't necessarily best for any relationship!!
We're all healthy and well. Our time is luckily our own and it's divided between our monster garden, friends, hanging at the pool, and naps! Heaven bless the person who first insisted naps be part of daily life!:)
With few if any complaints about life in general, I bid you good nite.
I'm going to make it a goal to get some photos on here and actually post updates to those interested!
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Monday, August 2, 2010
Sunday, December 27, 2009
The last couple years of life.....
I know this is all backwards..... but you'll have to start at the bottom and work your way up. Just to tired to re- cut/paste everything in the correct order! haha- does that make me crazy? Probably. Good luck!
Approx- Early June 2008
Again- another day- another day at the hospital. But today was different all around- oh yes my friends- today was different.
Dad was upbeat, chatty, and downright Perky which is very Un-Dad Like;) He worked,walked and climbed circles around the physical therapy staff and passed every “test” they gave him.
Long and the short- we’re all going home tomorrow. It’s been a month of a rollar coaster ride and going home isn’t going to stop the ride, but may help smooth out some of the intense peaks and valleys.
Thanks for the continued support and prayers. They’re greatly appreciated and helping more than you’ll ever know.
Dad was upbeat, chatty, and downright Perky which is very Un-Dad Like;) He worked,walked and climbed circles around the physical therapy staff and passed every “test” they gave him.
Long and the short- we’re all going home tomorrow. It’s been a month of a rollar coaster ride and going home isn’t going to stop the ride, but may help smooth out some of the intense peaks and valleys.
Thanks for the continued support and prayers. They’re greatly appreciated and helping more than you’ll ever know.
Date: May 28, 2008 5:06 PM
Well– another day…another day at the hospital. Dad is doing well and the “Soft” discharge date from Rehab is next wednesday but at the rate he’s improving…that could move up to this weekend possibly.
As much as we want dad home….we want him to be at a level of sufficency that it’ll make being at home easier on all of us.
The “social worker” who is dealing with “our case” (it’s pretty standard to be ‘assigned’ a social worker assistant who helps with anything the family needs while in the hospital etc) came to speak with mom and I today.
She also talked to us about setting up home health care, physical therapy at home etc. It was all well and dandy until she started talking about hospice care. For those of you who don’t know what hospice care is– it’s more or less having someone care for the patient in their last days before death.
She started on that and my mom got so upset that I told her that “wasn’t even a topic of discussion at this point and she’s not to mention it again.”
I’m sure she thinks I’m a deranged, delusional daughter who is refusing to “face the truth” of the situation.
Well- to hell with that.
I KNOW what we’re dealing with. I’ve read the reports, statistics, survival rates from this and that treatment plans. I’ve sat up for dozen of hours reading, researching…..and I’m the daughter of a PhD researcher…by damn I know what I’m reading.
This war hasn’t even BEGUN to be fought….there are options we’re looking into options that the doctors are going to tell us is insane, a waste of time and a huge waste of money.
Well you know what’s a waste of time? Only looking at options and routes of treatment that are “approved” by the AMA. We’ll listen to their opinions…. we’ll take into account their education, their experience and “success rate.” But I think a complete waste of time is listening to a few peoples ‘expert opinion…and blindly following when they say, “Give it up–this is the only option you’ve got.”
What else is a waste of time? Sitting in a meeting with a “Tumor board” where a bunch of “experts” tell us that our father and husband will have X many months of life left if we do constant 6 week treatment sessions of chemo and radiation.
” A waste of time is thinking that our next decision is going to be “what kind of quality of life do we want for our father?”
A waste of time is listening to people who tell us that “this is the way it is…and start planning the funeral.”
We’re looking into treatment centers as close as Houston TX and as far away as the Hufeland Klinik in Bad Mergentheim, Germany.
You know what? To hell with them because they’ve never delt with the Bradley family. They’ve never delt with my brillant father who has revolutionized the pathogen collection methods of the International community— and by damn they’ve never delt with any family who is going to fight harder, longer and try every damn avenue of treatment before we slow down….
And even then….this war isn’t close to being over.
Well– another day…another day at the hospital. Dad is doing well and the “Soft” discharge date from Rehab is next wednesday but at the rate he’s improving…that could move up to this weekend possibly.
As much as we want dad home….we want him to be at a level of sufficency that it’ll make being at home easier on all of us.
The “social worker” who is dealing with “our case” (it’s pretty standard to be ‘assigned’ a social worker assistant who helps with anything the family needs while in the hospital etc) came to speak with mom and I today.
She also talked to us about setting up home health care, physical therapy at home etc. It was all well and dandy until she started talking about hospice care. For those of you who don’t know what hospice care is– it’s more or less having someone care for the patient in their last days before death.
She started on that and my mom got so upset that I told her that “wasn’t even a topic of discussion at this point and she’s not to mention it again.”
I’m sure she thinks I’m a deranged, delusional daughter who is refusing to “face the truth” of the situation.
Well- to hell with that.
I KNOW what we’re dealing with. I’ve read the reports, statistics, survival rates from this and that treatment plans. I’ve sat up for dozen of hours reading, researching…..and I’m the daughter of a PhD researcher…by damn I know what I’m reading.
This war hasn’t even BEGUN to be fought….there are options we’re looking into options that the doctors are going to tell us is insane, a waste of time and a huge waste of money.
Well you know what’s a waste of time? Only looking at options and routes of treatment that are “approved” by the AMA. We’ll listen to their opinions…. we’ll take into account their education, their experience and “success rate.” But I think a complete waste of time is listening to a few peoples ‘expert opinion…and blindly following when they say, “Give it up–this is the only option you’ve got.”
What else is a waste of time? Sitting in a meeting with a “Tumor board” where a bunch of “experts” tell us that our father and husband will have X many months of life left if we do constant 6 week treatment sessions of chemo and radiation.
” A waste of time is thinking that our next decision is going to be “what kind of quality of life do we want for our father?”
A waste of time is listening to people who tell us that “this is the way it is…and start planning the funeral.”
We’re looking into treatment centers as close as Houston TX and as far away as the Hufeland Klinik in Bad Mergentheim, Germany.
You know what? To hell with them because they’ve never delt with the Bradley family. They’ve never delt with my brillant father who has revolutionized the pathogen collection methods of the International community— and by damn they’ve never delt with any family who is going to fight harder, longer and try every damn avenue of treatment before we slow down….
And even then….this war isn’t close to being over.
Date: May 23, 2008 7:01 PM
I wanted to say hi and thank you so much for the comments and I’m so sorry it’s taken forever to respond. I don’t know if Tim’s been able to keep you updated but life just sucks- down to the most basic level- right now.
The hits just keep on coming with recent information we were given so it’s almost more then I can do to keep breathing and forcing myself to move through the days.
Dad over all is doing great- improving every day and insisting on company meeting updates, upcoming travel dates for employees etc- just in general being the Boss that he still is.
Physically he’s weeks ahead of where his doctors thought he’d be and he’s still 100% dad-and that’s more than we could have hoped for.
The upcoming weeks, months, and God willing- Years are going to have a multitude of rollarcoasters in them that I don’t know how we’re going to ride yet.
I honestly can’t force myself to focus on more than just getting through the very next day. Sounds shallow but that’s all that exsists in life right now.
I wanted to let you know how much I miss getting to chat with you..and I hope things are going well with the boys and hope you’re feeling great!
Feel free to email (here) any time and I’ll really do my best to get back to you…..just seems like the days melt together and all of the sudden it’s been weeks since I’ve spoken with anyone.
And I miss it.
Again- hope things are going awesome and have a wonderful weekend!
*HUGS*
Lindsey
I wanted to say hi and thank you so much for the comments and I’m so sorry it’s taken forever to respond. I don’t know if Tim’s been able to keep you updated but life just sucks- down to the most basic level- right now.
The hits just keep on coming with recent information we were given so it’s almost more then I can do to keep breathing and forcing myself to move through the days.
Dad over all is doing great- improving every day and insisting on company meeting updates, upcoming travel dates for employees etc- just in general being the Boss that he still is.
Physically he’s weeks ahead of where his doctors thought he’d be and he’s still 100% dad-and that’s more than we could have hoped for.
The upcoming weeks, months, and God willing- Years are going to have a multitude of rollarcoasters in them that I don’t know how we’re going to ride yet.
I honestly can’t force myself to focus on more than just getting through the very next day. Sounds shallow but that’s all that exsists in life right now.
I wanted to let you know how much I miss getting to chat with you..and I hope things are going well with the boys and hope you’re feeling great!
Feel free to email (here) any time and I’ll really do my best to get back to you…..just seems like the days melt together and all of the sudden it’s been weeks since I’ve spoken with anyone.
And I miss it.
Again- hope things are going awesome and have a wonderful weekend!
*HUGS*
Lindsey
Date: May 17, 2008 7:01 PM
I apologize but I’m going to just freak out.
This is the run down of the last 2 weeks…
I think I’m in hell. Granted- probably a low level of hell- but hell is for sure.
This last 2 weeks have been so screwed up I can hardly explain. And honestly it’s to insane to even make up.
21 days ago– Dad offered Tim (husband) a job with dad’s company- Microbial Vac systems for a substantial raise and would basically be dad’s Right hand guy.
18 days ago- Tim gave notice at his BLM permament, stable, kick ass benefits and retire ment career to join the family business.
14 Days ago I got a call from my mom that dad went into almost constant seizures–had been taken to St. bens..and a ct scan showed a 2.5cmX3.5cm mass in the right temporal lobe.
13.5 days ago we threw the kids in the car and raced to Jerome.
12 days ago I was driving my parents to the Huntsman Cancer Center at the U of U hospital in SLC.
11 days ago Tim took our boys back to Salmon to start packing up the house- alone.
8 days ago I drove from SLC to Salmon to help pack.
4 days ago I drove back to SLC from Salmon while all week dad had had about 12 different invasive tests performed.
3 days ago dad under went over 8hours of surgery that had a 60% chance of leaving my brillant PhD father of 7 kids…grand father of 11 kids..CEO of a multi million dollar company without the ability to speak, walk or have any long term memory– if he even survived the surgery.
2.5days ago– Dad survived the surgery and was in the Neuro Critical care unit- unable to speak or move any of the left side of his body.
2 days ago a miracle happened and he started trying to speak although completly slurred and incomprehensible- and also moved his left foot.
Yesterday he was able to write notes with his right hand, say several words and move his entire left side of his body in addition to the right side.
Today- he was moved to a regular room, able to walk several steps and was speaking slowing but 100% understandable–and was being his normal, sarcastic as hell Daddy—, asking questions about the offices in Jerome, how the staff meeting had gone earlier, et etc etc and joking with the nurses about being vampires constantly wanting his blood and he would rather be staying at the Ritz.
Also today– mom and I had barely walked into the NCC unit to see dad…and she looked over at me–said my name and promptly collapsed.
I caught her on the way down and saved her head from being cracked open and landing herself in a critical care bed sharing a room with dad.
Austin- I was so terrified. All I could think was my dad was in intensize care- could die– and mom just died in front of my eyes.
I started screaming for help and within seconds they had a crash cart and 10 people there.
Mom came back around about a minute later (although it felt like 10 hours- I was so terrified)
She tried to talk to me…and her voice was slurred and I just started yelling at her that she just can’t DO this to me..and please please please don’t let her die. Please God don’t take my mom.
She’s ok but I swear I was just going to shatter…I have Never felt terror like that.
Yes- the long agonizing fear during the surgery waiting to hear if dad had died….etc.. but never this heart stopping terror of possibly watching my best friend and mother die with her head on my lap.
They transported her to the ER where we spent the next 6 hours having every cardiac test done, CT’s full blood workup, EKGs etc…
Everything came back relativly ok…but get this…
She Broke her damn ankle when she fell.
She has to go back monday on have an EchoCardiogram run too.
Soooo– in addition to doing all the driving, spending 14hr days in a hospital, about dying with worry from wondering what was going to be left of my dad after surgery…worried about Tim moving alone with the two boys..then this happens with mom and she’s a 65 yr old lady trying to manuver crutches.
And Ohhh it gets better— Tim and the boys had alittle help loading the moving trailer in Salmon and Tim, A full moving trailer– and two little kids –moved to Jerome today. All freaking with out me.
I am staying in Utah at the cooporate apartment that we own with mom. thank heavens for that– And it’s on the first floor. *sighs* Yeah for small miracles huh?
anyway– if anything else happens tomorrow– I’m going to shatter into a million pieces of insane that they’ll have to lock up in a psych ward for eternity.
Honestly- I just can’t take a whole lot more.
Really- I just can’t.
i’m sorry to just dump all this on you…but you always were an incredible listener.
I hope you can enjoy your weekend and we’re trying to get some guys lined up around 6pm monday at the Westec storage units on like 150 west 100 north?? somewhere near there– I’ll get an exact address.
My brother Andrew is calling in some favors too…so hoping he will have a few guys show up as well. If nothing else…just a few more people to help keep an eye on my boys too so they don’t get smooshed from someone unloading boxes etc.
Ok- I’m rambling. I swear I haven’t written things that make sense in weeks…
I apologize but I’m going to just freak out.
This is the run down of the last 2 weeks…
I think I’m in hell. Granted- probably a low level of hell- but hell is for sure.
This last 2 weeks have been so screwed up I can hardly explain. And honestly it’s to insane to even make up.
21 days ago– Dad offered Tim (husband) a job with dad’s company- Microbial Vac systems for a substantial raise and would basically be dad’s Right hand guy.
18 days ago- Tim gave notice at his BLM permament, stable, kick ass benefits and retire ment career to join the family business.
14 Days ago I got a call from my mom that dad went into almost constant seizures–had been taken to St. bens..and a ct scan showed a 2.5cmX3.5cm mass in the right temporal lobe.
13.5 days ago we threw the kids in the car and raced to Jerome.
12 days ago I was driving my parents to the Huntsman Cancer Center at the U of U hospital in SLC.
11 days ago Tim took our boys back to Salmon to start packing up the house- alone.
8 days ago I drove from SLC to Salmon to help pack.
4 days ago I drove back to SLC from Salmon while all week dad had had about 12 different invasive tests performed.
3 days ago dad under went over 8hours of surgery that had a 60% chance of leaving my brillant PhD father of 7 kids…grand father of 11 kids..CEO of a multi million dollar company without the ability to speak, walk or have any long term memory– if he even survived the surgery.
2.5days ago– Dad survived the surgery and was in the Neuro Critical care unit- unable to speak or move any of the left side of his body.
2 days ago a miracle happened and he started trying to speak although completly slurred and incomprehensible- and also moved his left foot.
Yesterday he was able to write notes with his right hand, say several words and move his entire left side of his body in addition to the right side.
Today- he was moved to a regular room, able to walk several steps and was speaking slowing but 100% understandable–and was being his normal, sarcastic as hell Daddy—, asking questions about the offices in Jerome, how the staff meeting had gone earlier, et etc etc and joking with the nurses about being vampires constantly wanting his blood and he would rather be staying at the Ritz.
Also today– mom and I had barely walked into the NCC unit to see dad…and she looked over at me–said my name and promptly collapsed.
I caught her on the way down and saved her head from being cracked open and landing herself in a critical care bed sharing a room with dad.
Austin- I was so terrified. All I could think was my dad was in intensize care- could die– and mom just died in front of my eyes.
I started screaming for help and within seconds they had a crash cart and 10 people there.
Mom came back around about a minute later (although it felt like 10 hours- I was so terrified)
She tried to talk to me…and her voice was slurred and I just started yelling at her that she just can’t DO this to me..and please please please don’t let her die. Please God don’t take my mom.
She’s ok but I swear I was just going to shatter…I have Never felt terror like that.
Yes- the long agonizing fear during the surgery waiting to hear if dad had died….etc.. but never this heart stopping terror of possibly watching my best friend and mother die with her head on my lap.
They transported her to the ER where we spent the next 6 hours having every cardiac test done, CT’s full blood workup, EKGs etc…
Everything came back relativly ok…but get this…
She Broke her damn ankle when she fell.
She has to go back monday on have an EchoCardiogram run too.
Soooo– in addition to doing all the driving, spending 14hr days in a hospital, about dying with worry from wondering what was going to be left of my dad after surgery…worried about Tim moving alone with the two boys..then this happens with mom and she’s a 65 yr old lady trying to manuver crutches.
And Ohhh it gets better— Tim and the boys had alittle help loading the moving trailer in Salmon and Tim, A full moving trailer– and two little kids –moved to Jerome today. All freaking with out me.
I am staying in Utah at the cooporate apartment that we own with mom. thank heavens for that– And it’s on the first floor. *sighs* Yeah for small miracles huh?
anyway– if anything else happens tomorrow– I’m going to shatter into a million pieces of insane that they’ll have to lock up in a psych ward for eternity.
Honestly- I just can’t take a whole lot more.
Really- I just can’t.
i’m sorry to just dump all this on you…but you always were an incredible listener.
I hope you can enjoy your weekend and we’re trying to get some guys lined up around 6pm monday at the Westec storage units on like 150 west 100 north?? somewhere near there– I’ll get an exact address.
My brother Andrew is calling in some favors too…so hoping he will have a few guys show up as well. If nothing else…just a few more people to help keep an eye on my boys too so they don’t get smooshed from someone unloading boxes etc.
Ok- I’m rambling. I swear I haven’t written things that make sense in weeks…
Date: May 14, 2008 10:50 PM
Who would like to come to a stale waiting room for families of surgical patients at U of U Med. Center tomorrow—-are more than welcome to come and keep me from falling apart. Or just to sit with me….what every works;)
I had to shave my fathers head tonite…in prep for the surgery… because NO one else does dads haircut… that’s always been MY job.
So again- thanks for all the msgs, texts and phone calls— you guys are really keeping me from falling apart.
Who would like to come to a stale waiting room for families of surgical patients at U of U Med. Center tomorrow—-are more than welcome to come and keep me from falling apart. Or just to sit with me….what every works;)
I had to shave my fathers head tonite…in prep for the surgery… because NO one else does dads haircut… that’s always been MY job.
So again- thanks for all the msgs, texts and phone calls— you guys are really keeping me from falling apart.
May 6, 2008 9:48 PM
For any of my friends who I haven’t been able to tell in Person or via email– I apologize. And I’m sorry this is a mass announcement…I just can’t find the strength to email everyone separately.
I wanted to let you know that Saturday ( the 3rd I believe) my dad went into the ER with severe seizures and other horrible symptoms. A CT scan showed a mass in the right temporal lobe/Thalamus/Hypothalamus (sp) area of the brain. Sunday morning Tim, the boys and I headed immediately to Jerome from Salmon.
Mom, Dad and I are currently in Utah and today had pre-op blood work and extensive MRI’s performed at the University of Utah Medical Center. We’re working with one of the best neurosurgeon available, Dr. Jensen of Huntsman cancer center. He’s been extremely supportive, compassionate, knowledgeable and is helping ease a few of the thousand fears we have.
Obviously we’re all pulling together as a family but I’m asking that whether you pray to God, Buddha, Mother earth or Zeus- please pray for my father. He’s the most brilliant doctor in his field- one who is going to save billions of lives due to his invention and determination, a wonder father and grandfather and amazing husband.
No one deserves to have this happen and I’m trying to distance myself from the argument of “Why? Why my dad? Why now and Why why why why why??”
Please pray for the medical staff and surgeons who will ultimately be holding my dad’s life in their hands.
Pray that the mass is easy to access and remove and that no lasting damage will be the result to this brilliant mans mind.
Surgery will be this Thursday although we don’t know what time or what procedure yet due to the MRI hasn’t been read by all the radiologist, neurosurgeons etc. We’ll know late wednesday what time Thursday all this will happen.
Thank you for any and all support you’ve given or are able to give. We all appreciate it so very much.
I don’t know when I’ll have email access again but I always have my cell phone with me. Even a text msg is nice to receive- just please don’t take it personally if I don’t respond right away.
I’m kinda hanging on by a thread emotionally and that’s hard when I’m expected to be “The Rock” in all of this.
So I guess in your prayers to Buddha etc…..ask them if they could find someway to help me be stronger because I feel like I’m going to shatter into a million pieces of hysteria right now and I guess I need my friends support too.
Love to you all…and tell your families and the ones you love them– because you never know if a proverbial meteorite is going crash into your world.
I’ve been able to track down a number of emails from the first few days/weeks/months following the worst information filled days of my life.
Read and understand the beginning of my journey……..
May 4, 2008 9:57 PM
Well- my Whole world is getting kicked upside down and I’m not sure how I’m going to recover this one (name deleted to protect privacy.)
My mom called this morning…said she and my dad had spent the night in the ER (dad had been ill for several days and it kept getting worse) while he was there he started having multiple seizures. They ran a CT Scan and found a golf ball sized mass at the base of his skull. Obvioulsy the pressure on the nerves was causing the seizures.
We left (my town) within an hour of mom calling me… we’re here now… dad is home on some anti-seizure meds amoung others. We’re getting his MRI done tomorrow over at Magic Vally St, Lukes– whatever the hell they want to call themselves now.
After that… odds are dad (and I) will be life flighted to University of Utah Med. Center because the neurologists there are the best.
Anyways– I’ve had just almost more pain than I can handle.
My daddy is my rock, my hero, the most brilliant man ever and he’s spent the last 30 years of his life (Actually longer then that) Devoting his life to improving others.)
Just when his company is on the verge of going international, saving possibly millions of people from infected foods/waters/ “dirty air anthrax bombs” etc….. this happens to him.
I find my self going from begging and pleading with God to please let this be a benign cyst that can be drained with no ill effects.
Then I switch to all out anger at WHY?? HE’s done NOTHING BUT have/raise 7 kids who are actaully contributing something to society. Start and make several companies successful and give all those people jobs. He’s served in church callings willingly and wonderfully and he’s the most wonderful grandfather anyone could pick for their children.
I’m just so angry..and the pain is suffocating me. I’m trying to hold it together for my siblings and kids but not sure how I’m going to. Everyone expects me to. I’m “Lin”… and ALWAYS expected to handle any crisis with grace and ease.
I just wanted someone outside of my immediate family to know whats going on.
I’ll know lots more by noon tomorrow…which odds are we’ll be enroute to UofU by then.
If you pray to anyone/anything/ buddah or Mother earth…or just can spare a few good vibes… send them our way would you???
Read and understand the beginning of my journey……..
May 4, 2008 9:57 PM
Well- my Whole world is getting kicked upside down and I’m not sure how I’m going to recover this one (name deleted to protect privacy.)
My mom called this morning…said she and my dad had spent the night in the ER (dad had been ill for several days and it kept getting worse) while he was there he started having multiple seizures. They ran a CT Scan and found a golf ball sized mass at the base of his skull. Obvioulsy the pressure on the nerves was causing the seizures.
We left (my town) within an hour of mom calling me… we’re here now… dad is home on some anti-seizure meds amoung others. We’re getting his MRI done tomorrow over at Magic Vally St, Lukes– whatever the hell they want to call themselves now.
After that… odds are dad (and I) will be life flighted to University of Utah Med. Center because the neurologists there are the best.
Anyways– I’ve had just almost more pain than I can handle.
My daddy is my rock, my hero, the most brilliant man ever and he’s spent the last 30 years of his life (Actually longer then that) Devoting his life to improving others.)
Just when his company is on the verge of going international, saving possibly millions of people from infected foods/waters/ “dirty air anthrax bombs” etc….. this happens to him.
I find my self going from begging and pleading with God to please let this be a benign cyst that can be drained with no ill effects.
Then I switch to all out anger at WHY?? HE’s done NOTHING BUT have/raise 7 kids who are actaully contributing something to society. Start and make several companies successful and give all those people jobs. He’s served in church callings willingly and wonderfully and he’s the most wonderful grandfather anyone could pick for their children.
I’m just so angry..and the pain is suffocating me. I’m trying to hold it together for my siblings and kids but not sure how I’m going to. Everyone expects me to. I’m “Lin”… and ALWAYS expected to handle any crisis with grace and ease.
I just wanted someone outside of my immediate family to know whats going on.
I’ll know lots more by noon tomorrow…which odds are we’ll be enroute to UofU by then.
If you pray to anyone/anything/ buddah or Mother earth…or just can spare a few good vibes… send them our way would you???
The last years in Retrospect
I thought I'd find a way to catalog the last two years by going through all my old emails, myspace emails, facebook etc, to find a way to organize and save the experiences and feelings I've had. So the next several posts will be back dated, please don't be to confused. :) I may live in the past on some issues, but I'm alive and very aware of what HAS shappened, what IS happening...but still have no idea of what WILL Happen.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
It's been awhile.....
Well obviously I'm not keeping up to date with this whole Blog thing....so lets give a run down on the last few months huh?
Let see....summer has been crazy busy with trips to visit mom in Jerome, baseball for Caden, chasing my head strong 2 yr old, Brendan, constantly and trying to figure out what to do with my life.
I had been accepted into the Surgical Technician program at CSI in twin falls and had every intention of making it work. It was going to be insane... Tim and I were basically going to be single parents (Cade up here in school with Tim and Brendan in Jerome with grandma and I.)
Well... several things happened that just made those plans seem so unimportant. My oldest brother Joel died Aug 10th from complications of a broken leg (and several other co-morbitities) and I basically had to plan the entire funeral. It was so de ja'vu from my dads only 5 short months ago.
After that...and literally the weekend before my classes we to start, I was a guest of our local ER with chest pains and shortness of breath. You got it--- yup-- heart attack. I was looking for my "Sign" if this was the right thing to do at this time (go back to college)...and as some redneck says, "Well... here's your sign."
I decieded that college could wait... I really DID want to be around for my boys and any other children on their way....and be the best dang mom possible.
Which brings us to now. I'm coaching Cade's soccer team, teaching myself how to Can..and doing a danged good job at it....I'm in a couple of church musicals amoungst many other things.
It's a crazy life but we're enjoying it!
Oh... we're also buying a house... one small thing I forgot to mention. It's a 2400sq foot house that we'll never outgrow and hope we never move again unless the government does it for us if Tim transfers to a larger city and a huge pay raise!
Other than that... we're staying RIGHT HERE! We've come to love Salmon (nutty huh?) The friends I've made through church, fire wives clubs etc etc are priceless friends and we all help each other survive.
Between the year of caretaking of my father before he passed...and the stresses of moving, kids, my brother dying etc...my doctor has advised me that it would be unsafe to carry a baby at this time--due to how depleted my body is and run down. He honestly said he didn't think I'd be able to carry a baby full term....so scare tactics work and we'll follow advice and wait atleast the 6 months recommended before getting prego. So anyone with tips on getting a baby girl... send them on my way. We get prego just thinking about it to often.... it's just getting the GIRL part that's tricky;)
Well until next time... the Bradley's are all doing as well as we can be and getting back into the swing of school (for Cade), enjoying my time alone with Brendan, and Tim still waiting for fire season to REALLY kick in!
Take care~ The Bradleys;)
Let see....summer has been crazy busy with trips to visit mom in Jerome, baseball for Caden, chasing my head strong 2 yr old, Brendan, constantly and trying to figure out what to do with my life.
I had been accepted into the Surgical Technician program at CSI in twin falls and had every intention of making it work. It was going to be insane... Tim and I were basically going to be single parents (Cade up here in school with Tim and Brendan in Jerome with grandma and I.)
Well... several things happened that just made those plans seem so unimportant. My oldest brother Joel died Aug 10th from complications of a broken leg (and several other co-morbitities) and I basically had to plan the entire funeral. It was so de ja'vu from my dads only 5 short months ago.
After that...and literally the weekend before my classes we to start, I was a guest of our local ER with chest pains and shortness of breath. You got it--- yup-- heart attack. I was looking for my "Sign" if this was the right thing to do at this time (go back to college)...and as some redneck says, "Well... here's your sign."
I decieded that college could wait... I really DID want to be around for my boys and any other children on their way....and be the best dang mom possible.
Which brings us to now. I'm coaching Cade's soccer team, teaching myself how to Can..and doing a danged good job at it....I'm in a couple of church musicals amoungst many other things.
It's a crazy life but we're enjoying it!
Oh... we're also buying a house... one small thing I forgot to mention. It's a 2400sq foot house that we'll never outgrow and hope we never move again unless the government does it for us if Tim transfers to a larger city and a huge pay raise!
Other than that... we're staying RIGHT HERE! We've come to love Salmon (nutty huh?) The friends I've made through church, fire wives clubs etc etc are priceless friends and we all help each other survive.
Between the year of caretaking of my father before he passed...and the stresses of moving, kids, my brother dying etc...my doctor has advised me that it would be unsafe to carry a baby at this time--due to how depleted my body is and run down. He honestly said he didn't think I'd be able to carry a baby full term....so scare tactics work and we'll follow advice and wait atleast the 6 months recommended before getting prego. So anyone with tips on getting a baby girl... send them on my way. We get prego just thinking about it to often.... it's just getting the GIRL part that's tricky;)
Well until next time... the Bradley's are all doing as well as we can be and getting back into the swing of school (for Cade), enjoying my time alone with Brendan, and Tim still waiting for fire season to REALLY kick in!
Take care~ The Bradleys;)
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Life of a Domestic Engineer
Well- I've been at my current profession as a Domestic Engineer for 5 years, 11 months and about 2 weeks.
During this time I've experienced everything from the sleepless nights, days, weeks, months and years, to sending my 5 week old baby into surgery. I've dealt with the uncontrollable fevers, the teething, the puking, my out of control hormones, being pregnant and chasing a toddler, having a newborn and caring for a toddler who now thinks HE'S a newborn too, the monotony and stress of everyday life and the insane days of dragging babies hither and yon for every errand, appointment and travel dates.
You may think my days are easy but in all reality until YOU'VE done it....you don't have a clue. I wouldn't change a thing but I get SOOO dang tired of people thinking I don't "Do" anything all day and I have it so easy.
Ya know what? Do my job for a week and see if you survive. My job is 24/7/365 days a year with no holiday/overtime/hazard pay and I'm on call every day of my life.
Now- do I love my children- Abso-freakin'-lootly. Is this THE hardest job ever? Absolutely.
But next time you in your single life, or young married-no-kids-yet-life see a struggling mom chasing down a toddler while trying to drive the stupid Car-shaped grocery carts and entertaining a baby while attempting to get the 3 silly items she desperately needs for dinner that night.......don't throw those annoyed looks my way. Don't sigh and go to the next isle thinking, "She just doesn't have anything together and I'll NEVER be like that."
Offer to help- watch the baby and car cart for 15 seconds so I can sprint down the produce isle to grab my toddler before he destroys the mountains of apples stacked dangerously high without having to worry about America's most wanted snatching my baby in the coveted Car-Cart.
Or better yet? Find some friends who have 2 or 3 kids and offer to take them for a FULL DAY! Plan a day with them of running your errands, going grocery shopping, to the park, and do it all before nap times or meal times.
That will have the weak ones re-thinking their birth control!!:)
So- What do I DO all day? I'm SuperWoman...as is every mom....and I'll do it all again tomorrow.
During this time I've experienced everything from the sleepless nights, days, weeks, months and years, to sending my 5 week old baby into surgery. I've dealt with the uncontrollable fevers, the teething, the puking, my out of control hormones, being pregnant and chasing a toddler, having a newborn and caring for a toddler who now thinks HE'S a newborn too, the monotony and stress of everyday life and the insane days of dragging babies hither and yon for every errand, appointment and travel dates.
You may think my days are easy but in all reality until YOU'VE done it....you don't have a clue. I wouldn't change a thing but I get SOOO dang tired of people thinking I don't "Do" anything all day and I have it so easy.
Ya know what? Do my job for a week and see if you survive. My job is 24/7/365 days a year with no holiday/overtime/hazard pay and I'm on call every day of my life.
Now- do I love my children- Abso-freakin'-lootly. Is this THE hardest job ever? Absolutely.
But next time you in your single life, or young married-no-kids-yet-life see a struggling mom chasing down a toddler while trying to drive the stupid Car-shaped grocery carts and entertaining a baby while attempting to get the 3 silly items she desperately needs for dinner that night.......don't throw those annoyed looks my way. Don't sigh and go to the next isle thinking, "She just doesn't have anything together and I'll NEVER be like that."
Offer to help- watch the baby and car cart for 15 seconds so I can sprint down the produce isle to grab my toddler before he destroys the mountains of apples stacked dangerously high without having to worry about America's most wanted snatching my baby in the coveted Car-Cart.
Or better yet? Find some friends who have 2 or 3 kids and offer to take them for a FULL DAY! Plan a day with them of running your errands, going grocery shopping, to the park, and do it all before nap times or meal times.
That will have the weak ones re-thinking their birth control!!:)
So- What do I DO all day? I'm SuperWoman...as is every mom....and I'll do it all again tomorrow.
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Tim and Lindsey
