Mom's Story - Installment #20

Well, I guess it's time for a bit more of the story. Things have been about the same around here. We didn't get a lot of rain off Gustav but did get about 3+ inches - nice and slow so it was a good soaker and was great on the grass seed Bill had just planted.

My poor little Tippy is really getting feeble. She's about totally blind now and runs into the walls and the side of the house when she's outside. Sometimes it looks like she can barely walk but then she'll run across the music room floor when I come in from outside and call her, so I think she's not too cripply yet.

Bill went horseback riding this afternoon for a while and he caught a possum in the feed room. Something has been getting into stuff lately down at the barn, and the cat won't even stay down on the floor - she perches up on the beams. Someone told Bill that if he put something good to eat in the bottom of a plastic trash can and then laid a board up against it so whatever could climb up and get in the can, he wouldn't be able to get back out, and sure enough! This morning he had a possum in the trash can. Hopefully, there aren't anymore down there, but he was going to rebait the can again anyway. I think it was a possum who got the kittens this last time. Mama Kitty was pretty stove up for a while after that encounter. We didn't know if she'd make it or not.

Well, so much for the Octavia Babcock happenings. Here's some more story.

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I went to see the hip doctor in Hot Springs, AR the first week in December. He said the hip was shot and would need to be replaced if I was going to walk again. Surgery was scheduled for Dec. 20^th.

On the 17^th. Joan had 10 ladies over for a birthday party. It was a lot of fun and then on the 19^th. we went to Hot Springs to check into the hospital. Surgery was scheduled for early the morning of the 20^th. Pastor Ed got there just before they were going to wheel me in. He stayed with Joan until I was back in my room. Joan stayed in my room with me at the hospital until I could come home. We came home on the 23^rd. of December, the Friday before Christmas.

I couldn’t get out of bed by myself or back in for a couple weeks so Joan had an intercom so she could hear me call when I needed to get up during the night. She had to help me get my feet back into the bed as I couldn’t lift my legs and keep that hip straight.

On Jan. 3^rd. I had my first followup with the doctor and he said all was going well. Went back on the 31^st. and then started seeing the doctor in Mena for the rest of the follow up appointments. The home health girls came to the house to take my blood pressure and take care of the incision. And then a therapist started coming a few times a week for 6 weeks. She made me get up and walk with her holding a belt and I had to do breathing exercises. I didn’t like them.

On April Fool’s day we went to a cake walk and supper at the Octavia Fire Station. I wasn’t going to go, but Joan thought I should get out, and the food was good.

On April 14^th. Joan was 61. Bill got her a vanity table and chair for her room. We went to Smithville for dinner as we were going out on Easter.

Sharon Hadley wrote a note to me that they were heading to Wisconsin but weren’t stopping here. She’s getting her ankle fixed in May.

The Muskego relatives are coming for Easter so that will be fun. They got here Saturday the 15^th. and left on Monday. We had a really good time We went to the Chinese Restaurant – all 7 of us in the Mercury. Sunday was Sharon Anderson’s 55^th. birthday. It was a lot of fun and I can walk with out the cane but I have to be careful.

Joan and Becky Phillips went to Baton Rouge, LA the end of April to see Andre Rieu, and Phillip and Lacie and her friend came up to ride horses. Bill took me to church and came and picked me up, but didn’t go because of the company. Joan got back home around 9:00 PM Sunday night. It was a long weekend without her.

Well, that's the end for this time.

JB