Mr. Clark is a facinating man. In his lifetime, he experienced first hand racial injustice in his own country. Despite the difficulties he faced, he perservered and today is a man highly respected in his community. I've had the honor to work with him in a small group that discussed race and racism in our community. We learned a lot from one another. And what I like best about Mr. Clark is that he is willing to share his past experiences, not to open old wounds, but rather to inform so that history doesn't repeat itself.
"Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends. And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today!" --Martin Luther King, Jr.
In America, February is set aside as Black History Month. To learn more: African American History Month
Listen to the entire "I Have a Dream" speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. www.mlkonline.net
Rita Hayworth, Perry Como, Sugar Ray Robinson, Charlton Heston, Sir Winston Churchhill, Senator Barry Goldwater, President Ronald Reagan, Helen Lamb Hunt. Each of these famous and not so famous people have one thing in common—Alzheimer’s.
Helen Lamb Hunt. Otherwise known as “Pat” or “MawMaw”, she has been my mother-in-law for 35 years. Over the years she has raised two sons, helped with four grandchildren and loved two great grandchildren; she has walked my driveway 1000’s of times, baked thousands of the best chocolate chip cookies, made 100’s of pounds of the best fudge on earth, been to church more than most people, read her Bible through and through, said “I love you” an untold number of times, and asked “Where’s Gene? [my father-in-law],” thousands of times. She’s almost stopped asking now.
Alzheimer’s disease is a complex disorder that causes a gradual loss of brain cells. There is no cure and drugs help only for a short time. The 10 most common warning signs of the disease are:
1.Memory changes that disrupt daily life. MawMaw always remembered birthdays, anniversaries, and special events for all her family. Several years ago, yellow sticky notes with reminders began appearing all over her kitchen cabinets. Not only were they reminders for special days, but for taking a pill, turning the dishwasher on, paying a bill.
2.Challenges in planning or solving problems. MawMaw always kept the bills paid and the checkbook balanced to the penny. She was meticulous in her math and paying bills early. About 3 years ago she could no longer balance the checkbook. One day there was a cancelation notice in the mailbox that their insurance had been canceled due to non-payment. MawMaw said the post office lost the check, but in fact, the check was never written.
3.Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure. MawMaw always made good coffee, sometimes twice a day. One day she didn’t know how to make the coffee.
4.Confusion with time or place. MawMaw fractured her hip recently and was in the hospital. She asked often where she was.
5.Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships. MawMaw was an avid reader. She could finish a good book in a day’s sitting. She read her Bible every day. One day she stopped reading. She said it was because of her cataracts. After her cataract surgery she didn’t read because her glasses weren’t good. Now, I read to MawMaw.
6.New problems with words in speaking or writing. MawMaw repeats a lot. Two years ago she rode home in the car with me from our week at the beach. PawPaw was riding home with my husband. She asked “Where’s Gene” about every 5 minutes. She chewed an entire large pack of gum (after about 5 mins. she would spit the gum out, and then a few minutes later would start to chew another piece because she forgot she just chewed a piece of gum.
7.Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps. MawMaw has kept a lot of things over the years and she’s always known exactly where they were. She can no longer find her clothes in the closet or where she keeps the dish towels.
8.Decreased or poor judgment. MawMaw has had a tight curly perm since I’ve known her. Every three months she would drive to Lynchburg to have Miss Betty give her a perm. MawMaw has not had curls for three years. She no longer even brushes her hair unless someone asks her to.
9.Withdrawal from work or social activities. MawMaw loved going to Sunday School and preaching. She was in the same Sunday School class for as many years as I’ve been married. MawMaw stopped going to church two years ago.
10.Changes in mood and personality. MawMaw was always a caring and loving woman. She lavished kindness on all she knew. She loved babysitting my kids and only had to give them “the eye” to correct them. In the last three years MawMaw has had numerous tantrums. She has broken windows and dishes. She has cut her skin open banging her arm on her hospital bed. She has torn a hospital telephone from the wall.
Alzheimer’s is no respecter of persons. Movie stars, authors, presidents, and even my mother-in-law have had or have Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that “in the United States, 5.3 million people are living with Alzheimer’s disease, and a new individual is diagnosed with the disease every 70 seconds. Unless something is done, by 2050, up to 16 million Americans will have Alzheimer’s, and new case will be diagnosed every 33 seconds.”
Alzheimer’s has struck my family. However, MawMaw is still my mother-in-law. She loves me and I love her. I am willing and ready to do what I need to in order to care for her and it is an honor and a privilege to do so. I don’t believe any one of us can ask the question, what “if” Alzheimer’s affects my family, rather, ask “when.” Know the warning signs and be prepared to answer a thousand times a thousand “Where’s Gene?”
Do you get it? LOL! I just cracked myself up when I titled this one... didn't really know that I made a joke! Maybe I'm the only one laughing. Oh well.
It's hard to believe it's the Christmas season already. I haven't even put up the Christmas tree yet! It would have happened tonight except it's a live tree and we have to saw about a half inch off the bottom before bringing it inside... and it's frigid outside with the wind making it even colder. So, the tree will have to stay outside for another day or two, or three...
UPDATE: 12/15/10 The tree is inside! And it's a biggie! Special thanks go out to two very special people...1st, my husband, and 2nd one of our best young friends, Jeremy. Jeremy is a "quasi" adopted son. Since high school, Jeremy has been a part of the church we attend (Amherst Baptist earlier, and now Oasis). Hopefully by this time tomorrow evening I'll be able to sit back and enjoy a decorated Christmas tree.
I have nearly completed my Christmas shopping--95% done and 85% wrapped. I have addressed all the Christmas cards though I still need stamps. I packed 6 Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Gifts and they're on their way to children somewhere in the world. I just made the wine parfait sauce and all the jars have sealed. I have wrapped 3 "dirty Santa" gifts and have ham biscuits to make for tomorrow's office party. I put out the Nativity scene in its usual place in the living room. What's left to do? The most important...
I need to thank God for coming to us as a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger. I need to recall and meditate on why He did this for me (and you). I need to ask forgiveness for doing so much to get ready when what was really important was just a baby... a baby that saved the world... a baby that saved me. Jesus Christ, son of God is the true reason for the season. This is all that's necessary this Christmas--thank you Jesus.
It's hard to believe it's been 28 years since you were with us on this earth. Though you may not be here physically, you live in our hearts and in us and our children. You would be so proud to see how many grandchildren and great grandchildren you have. You fathered some fabulous kids! None of us are perfect and we all mess up from time to time, but the core values you taught us have stayed with us through out our lives. Thank you Daddy. We miss you and will always love you.
Well I finally did it! My husband and I took a week long vacation - just the two of us. And this was the first real vacation I've had in over 10 years. Our summer trips are what I call "trip-cations". They're basically trips with the family - not a vacation in the true sense of the word. There are people to feed, beds to make, sunscreen to apply on little bodies, groceries to buy, etc. So, this past week we spent a week at North Myrtle Beach right on the water courtesy of my daughter-in-law's father who owns a condo on the beach.
Our days went something like this: rise about 7AM to see a gorgeous sunrise over the water (take photos), read Bible and write in journal, cook a yummy brunch, go walk on the beach a couple of miles, sit in beach chair for several hours reading a good book, take a shower, go out for a movie/putt putt/and/or dinner. Relax in the condo or stroll on the beach in the moonlight. (And take more photos throughout the day).
The one thing I definitely learned from this wonderful peaceful week is that I will definitely repeat this next October and the next.... you should try it too!
As you might have noticed, I've changed the background and title photo of the blog. The photo above is titled "Summer Rains Pink." I am donating a 16x20 framed print of this photo to the 6th Annual Lynchburg Pink Auction. It will be auctioned on October 24, 2010 at the Holiday Inn Select downtown.
The orginators of this auction are three lovely sisters, affectionately known as "The Mitchell Sisters," and they are very enthusiastic about this years' event. They have been collecting pink items throughout this past year with the purpose of auctioning them and then donating all the proceeds to cancer research, education, and prevention. Some of the monies will be used locally to fund the cost of mamograms for women who cannot afford them, some monies will be given to a state hospital for breast cancer education, and some monies will be given to the National Cancer Society to help fund research that one day soon may lead to a cure.
If you would like to bid on my print or other pink items in the auction, you'll need to purchase a ticket for $20 from one of the sisters, or tickets are available at Givens Books or the Heritage Connections Gift Shop at Holiday Inn Select. There are a limited number of tickets and this event has sold out in the past, so purchase early!
