son of sid's blog: "The cook book"

created on 10/13/2006 | http://fubar.com/the-cook-book/b13418

posted on 10/20/2008&nbs-07:00;@&nbs-07:00;12:10&nbs-07:00;am

makes me sad :((
http://fubar.com/makes-me-sad/b13418-39927

I personally believe in true love, well I do! I have seen it, No really I have seen it, Twice.
I know a Wyoming couple, the man is a chemical engineer and the woman was a med tech, she did a lot more then just collects samples throughout the years but mainly she was a med tech. Once their children were raised they decided that they wanted to tour the world while they were still young enough to enjoy it, so the man took a very good paying job in Saudi Arabia for Aramco. This job would allow them to travel all over the world and provide a very nice retirement for the couple. They left Casper in 1992 and had a ball, they saw the pyramids, they have been to London, Greece, Germany and a whole lot more places then I could name. They even took up diving in the Dead Sea!!
About six years ago the woman was diagnosed with A.L.S. or Lou Garracks. As the disease progressed her husband slowly started buying things to help her do things she could no longer do like walking talking and breathing. The man has patiently watched his wife deteriorate until three years ago she was admitted to I.C.U. in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Even if they wanted to come home they can not because she is too fragil to be moved. Every day the man goes to work comes home takes an hour for himself then goes to visit his wife in the hospital. He tells her about any e-mails he gets from the kids and they watch movies on his laptop until the nurse kicks him out usually about an hour or two after visiting hours are over. As the disease has progressed it has continued to rob her of any ability to affect her environment about two years ago she lost the ability to speak. So they started to communicate through hand taps. The man is very patient with her. Through hand taps and barely audible whispers they were able to build a family cook book for their family with all the recipes that the family enjoys with pictures of the key points in their families lives they also sent the family Christmas cookie recipe to the Casper Star Tribune this last Christmas.
A year ago she lost the ability to speak at all or move her hand at all. So now the man and woman communicate through eye blinks!! The man bought a book for her that is nothing but questions that should be asked and written down so that family members can know who they were. So they have started answering questions from this book and e-mailing them to their family this is a very slow process for them, but it helps her to work on a legacy and to let people know who she is. When the woman's sister came to visit she asked the man why he was in such a HURRY to get to the hospital after work every day. He told her that every moment that he is not with her is a moment that he can never get back. He also told her that the time he spends up there with his wife is a gift that he gives her and he wants her to have. This man and woman have been living this life style for almost four years now. His health is getting bad because he is not taking care of himself. I do not know what will happen when she dies. I think that this is an example of TRUE LOVE!! And I have the cook book that my parents gave me to prove it!!! It is crammed full of the memories of their lives and filled with all the love that a family could possibly give. And the food tastes just like the food my mom used to make.
The cover of the cook book has my mothers prayer, that she wrote and comunicated to my father using hand taps and eye blinks.

EDENA'S LAMENT AND HER PRAYER
Now I lay me down to rest.
My God, I hope I did my best,
For there's no time to do again,
I'll tell my story and say "Amen".

Once I dreamed, but not of late,
Of another life, a kinder fate.
Of quiet streets in foreign towns,
To dance with Sid in brand new gowns.

But all my dreams were drempt before
Lou Gehrig's ball came through my door.
Strike 1, I stumbled, Strike 2, I fell,
Strike 3, I'm out. I live in hell

I can not drink, I can not talk,
I can not eat, or take a walk.
ALS, its cheating ways
Left me with my sorrowing days.

Laying on my hospital cot,
I do have time to think alot
Forsaking all my earthly things,
The air I breathe, my diamond rings.
I concentrate upon my soul,

To meet my maker pure and whole.
I give God glory and praise His Son,
With that compleate, I'm nearly done.

For trespasses great and trespasses small,
I ask the lord to forgive them all.
Now I have god's peace at last
My soul secure, my faith steadfast.

One more simple, little thing,
My life, long prayer to which I cling.
~

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

God Bless Mom, God Bless Dad,
God Bless Elaine and the friends that I've had.
God Bless my loving and precious family,
My little Trey and my littlest Ashley
And god bless my husband, my loving Sidney
Through God's Grace, We'll meet again, In Jesus' Name, I say "Amen"

Edena Anderson
Born: may 23, 1947 Died: 08-08-2008
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Well I guess it is time to update this blog. Last week 8-3-2008 Aramco paid for a medical fligh to get my mom back to the states as my dad retired and was forced to move back to the states. It was hell on wheels finding a medical facility that would take a ventelated patient, but we did find one in Denver. I was able to see my mom and tell her all the things that were going on in my life and that I love her. It was real important to me that I tell her in person.
Her condition is pretty sad and almost all comunication has broken down. She is no longer able to move any part of her body other then her eyes and even thouse are pretty weak. Every 20 minutes or so my dad askes her if she needs something. If mom looks up and to the right it is a yes. So here is how thier communication works.
Dad: do you need something?
Dad will then wait 10 seconds or so to see if her eyes move. Then he goes down a list.
Head (10 seconds)
ears (10 seconds)
nose (10 seconds)
treach (10 seconds)
suction (10 seconds) My mom needs to have her throat suctioned every 20 minutes or so, other wise she feels like she is drowning even though the machine breaths for her.
after suction my dad asks do you need something else (10 seconds)
hands (10 seconds)
arms (10 seconds)
hips (10 seconds)
temperature (10 seconds)
do you need to be covered (10 seconds)
do you need to be uncovered (10 seconds)

My mom has developed an infection from the stress of the trip and being in contact with all the new people. It is resisting the antibiotics. So they have started new anti biotics, but we just do not know what will be next. I guess what ever will be will be, but I do know this. I am gratefull for all the gifts she has given me.
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The last update

Well as some of you know mom is gone. That stubborn and persnikerty woman faught a loosing battle with ALS for 9 years. Most people last one maybe two years after diagnoses, but then this is my mom we are talking about, the most stubborn and resourcefull woman I have ever known. This blog talks about her death, but not about her life. She was born in Casper, participated in Cancer research and even taught art to royalty for over a year, even after she was diagnosed! She has been to 49 states and 39 different countries. She was a force of nature and the only advice I could ever give to anyone foolish enough to stand in her way was.............................. RUN!!!
She faught many moral battles and had the most annoying trait of always being on the morally just side. She always made shure that the person being taken advantage of was not only protected, but that the person doing the taking advantage lost the battle!
Her best trait the one that I could not have survived with out and was a constant source of encuragement was simply that she loves me. The only thing my mom lacked was involernability and a big red S on her chest!

Good Bye mom.....I am truely a much poorer man with out you. Till we meet again.

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