Grandma updates

Hey family and friends...

I don't know how well I'll be able to keep up with this, but since Lil's little sojourn in the hospital, I thought it might be a good thing to have a central place that people can come for news on her doings. I'll do my best to update this as often as I can, and I'll post at least a little if there is important news. While I'm at it, I'll probably mention what our family is up to as well, just to give a taste of what Lil's daily life is like.

Today really feels like fall is starting. Mom and papa Steve came over for dinner and to have a family get together with my mom's younger brother Eric and his daughters before his older daughter takes off for a year in Portugal. Lil has gone with cousin Nurmi to a Husa family gathering in Bainbridge at cousin Darwin's house.

While I have papa here and a rare free afternoon, I grabbed the opportunity to do some garden maintenance. We cut down a dead tree on the side patio, a volunteer alder that had pretty much taken over the sidewalk, a bunch of juniper on the front walk and many stalks of butterfly bush over the left path in the back garden.

Nurmi may go home today or may stay one more day. Mom and papa will go home to Vashon tonight. Marty's folks are also here for the week (staying in a B&B up the road) and are off tonight having a 44th anniversary dinner.

Grandma's meds seem to have been adjusted appropriately (no longer too much Furrosimide) and with the new heart med (Carvidilol) she is feeling more peppy and focused. We are still having Besa from Home Health Care services come in once a week to help Lil bathe and do some other personal care. We just got a call from the Group Health nurse to set up Hospice services, so that will help a lot.

I am writing this blog from the desk in the living room where grandma used to keep her electric typewriter. I just cleared it off this weekend so that I would have a place I can work in the living room so that Lil knows I am right here (instead of in the basement) when I am home.

Marty is done with classes for the quarter (he's got a two week break) and I have one week left (only three papers--shouldn't be too bad...). The boys start school this coming week--both at new schools--so exciting times around here. As always, Jacob is pretty quiet around the house and Avi is pretty loud (I used to worry that Lil would be disturbed by his volume, but really--quite the opposite. After he woke up Nurmi at 6:30 this morning by bouncing on his bed, he is newly dubbed "Tigger.")

Marty is just taking the apple crisp he made today out of the oven. Papa Steve brought over the apples and he and mom cut them up. I think there is hardly anything grandma likes better than apple crisp--she can practically eat a whole one by herself.

Well, it's time for me to go eat. I hope to be back soon.