The Total Makeover

Hi Bloggers, So good to hear from David and see the pictures of all that spring activity. I just laugh every time I see a picture of Kallie all stretched out in a pitch. It makes her legs look so long like she must really be a tall girl, but I know she isn't.

We'll only have Mandy and the kids here for another few days before they head back once again to Las Vegas for the final stretch. I know they will both be glad to get this class over with so they can get their family together again, even for a few months before the next deployment.

Jon and family may or may not get around to telling their story of the polluted water their community had to deal with. Jon got sick one weekend thinking it must be the flu but when the whole neighborhood turned up sick, as well as the rest of his family they realized it wasn't just the flu. Maybe it's a good lesson in pioneer living to have to try to do without running water for a week, but not one you'd ask for. Boiling everything, sanitizing everything, carrying drinking water in, etc. can be a real pain and a difficult task with 7 children you're trying to keep healthy.

Doug and I are somehow weathering the grief we are experiencing watching Drew cope with his challenges. He manages to be good natured, brave, uncomplaining, and patient with his afflictions but it isn't easy for him I know. His legs are swollen so bad from back up of fluids that it is hard for him to walk. His obdominal cavity is the same---his stomach looks like a big swollen bladder and leaves no room for a stomach or putting anything into a stomach. The result is he can't really eat without pain and discomfort so he is losing weight, looking very gaunt and yellow, and of course is getting very weak. He just started on Ensure yesterday to maximize the value of whatever he sends down there. The morphine does a pretty good job of minimizing the other pains but it also keeps him a little dopey and he drifts in and out of sleep easily, even in the middle of taking a pill or a drink. He has wonderful friends who stop by often to take him out for a ride just so he can get out of the house and enjoy the spring weather. They also came over one night (while he was out) and did a total makeover in his room. I'm going to try to get a picture of it that will do it justice and stick it in here.
Success! Mom