He Liked "'Cold Creel"

I went over to visit with Paul this afternoon. He was happy for me to be there, but I'm not sure he knew who I was. He was in a good, but quite mode. He did say he was having back pain,especial just below his neck, so I rubbed it for me. He seem to really enjoy that. While I was rubbing I felt something strange. I had the head Nurse take a look of it. It was one of his mole that has enlarged and very dark and growing out. It is hard to describe. She is going to have the Doctor see him in the morning.
A little while later I told him about the rain and how we made a stream that draws the water that is gathering in back in the corner over to the little ditch to go down out from to the side of the house down to the street.
There will be more rains and we are going to have to keep the little ditch running.
So I want to lay it with river bottom rocks and keep it for the future. I would like to put a bridge over it and but a small sign saying "Cold Creek".
Paul got so excited, slapping is knees.and had a good laugh about it. I was glad that he understood about.
Then he ask how Grandma and Grandpa Irish were doing. I just answered they are both doing really fine. That was easy, because Mom & Dad must be doing well with so much of their Family and Loved ones there.

rocks

The Water Bom Hit The Back Yard

That's what my back yard looks like today. All the water puddles and streams and three creek areas are empty, how ever they are full of deep mud. And there's the sandbags that are stacked against the patio door that looks like the soldiers put up to protect from being shot.

There is hardly an way for the dogs to go out to do their jobs without getting all clouded up with mud to carry right in to the kitchen floor.
So I have to but the dogs leaches on and my only really worm coat so I don't freeze.They have been pretty good about it.
But they have had the freedom of going in and out when ever they have wanted to. And it looks like they will not be very safe back yard for some time. I am really hoping it will not take too long. Though By Tuesday,Wednesday and Thursday, We will have more rains. It's going to take a
couple weeks of no ran to get the dirt dry again.

I'm looking forward to the day of sunshine so my joints may stop hurt.

"Cold Creek"

There has been an addition to our home, made the last couple of days, "Cold Creek".

We are experiencing what may be the biggest storms in history here the last couple of days, and it's not over yet. We were warned that it was coming, but I never realized it would be like this. I thought I left that all behind in California.
When the heavy rains began in a very short time and just the start of three storms that were to closely follow each other with the last two to be double or more than what the first was, I got really worried. The first storm stopped just about 2 feet from my back door inside the patio area. Most of it stayed there during the few hours break in the storm. I realized that when the next storm arrived, it would come in the house.

I begin calling family and friends for help. One of the members of our Family Night group, Neal Short came early the next morning and cleaned out the rain gutters for me, so the water would be directed away from the corner that was so deep already. He was so sweet to come.

In the after noon my son-in-law Steve and Home Teach Bro. Roundy arrived and started a ditch so the water had a direction where to drain between the two buildings. I was so please. Then late at night when the next storm started in I went out to see how things were doing. I was shocked at what I was seeing. The water was not draining, and more and more was gathering in my yard in a corner next to the patio.

I went out and tried to scoop the ditches deeper, but I didn't have a shovel, so I used an old hard broom. I worked on it for quite a while. I was drenched. I finely knew I needed help. I started calling and called Wendy and Mike's first. It was about midnight or later by now. Wendy came right over and we worked on it for some time. Wendy began to see that we were also fighting the water that was draining into my yard from the neighbors around me. So I called and found out where we could get sand bags and went to the fire station nearest me, and then blocked the sliding door to the house.

Wendy worked so hard. She was so sweet. I'm sure she didn't get home til about 6:am. After a hot shower and cup of hot ginger tea, I got into bed at 7:am.

Three hours later I was woke by the phone ringing it was my Home Teacher cheeking in to see how I was doing. I thought things were OK and was going to go right back to sleep, but thought I should let the dogs out and feed them and then go back to sleep.
When I looked out the patio door, I saw that the water was building up more and more.
So in a couple of hours my son-in-log Steve and his son Daniel came with shovels and began making the ditch much bigger, this time all the way down the side of the house to the sidewalk out front. It begin to drain the water from the back. It was beautiful. We could see the water level lowering right away.

Thanks to the help of family and good friends I now have quite a creek. The next storm began to arrive with the National Weather Service warning of heavy rains, hard winds and a warning of a Tornado. According to the weatherman on TV this was the first time they have had a Tornado warning here in Arizona.
It was a hard storm with lots of water (we have gotten just under 7 ins. here in my area) and hard winds. But, luckily no Tornado, and with my new creek, and all the wonderful hands of the Lord, the water drained really well. More storms are predicted for tomorrow and next week, but I will not worry. I now have "Cold Creek" to take care of the water and save my home.

Rain, Rain

We have been praying for rain and wanting it so bad, and now it is coming. We have had an inch already this evening and it is coming up on to the patio now. Tomorrow we are promised a lot more rain and Thursday the BIG rain is coming. I'm not sure what we can do to redirect it. We need to fix a way it can drain to the side of the house, then it will flow down to the street.
Oh boy, I thought I left the flooding back home in California. Now I'm here alone and I don't even have a shovel or heavy rack.
Well, I know how to swim but, I don't know if the dogs do.

I must return.

I looked back on how long it has been since I wrote at all. When I first got started it was at the advise from a social work at Hospices of the Valley that doing this on a regular schedule would be go for me.

I believe it was for a while. I took it on with hopes it would maybe help others too. But I feel that it was not going in that direction. But for me the past few years have not gone the way of my dreams.

For the someone who may not have read my story, I have my husband in a care center.
It is called Good Shepherd. They are very wonderful to him. My husband has Alzheimer.
It was diagnosed about four 1/2 years ago. After several months he began having violet attacks. The last one he really hurt me a lot. We called his doctor and he advised that we get someone to take him to the Del Webb. Hospital. I was not to go with them and that I would not see him for at least a month. (Its important to know that action was not Paul, Paul is a very sweet and tender loving man, and would not hurt anyone) During this time they worked on balancing out his meds. In the mean time I was looking for an approved place that could provide for his needs that I could expend. Emanuel Care center was just a couple of blocks from my house and it was great. It was just what Paul needed at that time.After about 3years he began to be go down hill. He know had Parkin's Decide also.

He finally was transferred to Good Shepherd after Hospice of the Valley relieved him from Emanuel and cared for him for a few weeks while I could find an other place with more knowledge and more needful care. We were told that He only had 3-6 mos left. But they gave him such wonderful care that he began to do a lot better. He was realisted from Hospice about 3 months ago. Now they just take good care of him. And no one has the slighted idea how long he will stay here on earth.

Over the months he has had very different things he remembers and forget. They, the care givers stay on top to keep the pain in his back comfortable and him not shacking because of the Parkin's. But they do not over medicate him.
He is always clean and they feed he very good food.

Some days he knows who I am and sometimes he has no knowledge of who I am.
The other day he was sure I was his grandmother. And asking about his Aunt Kat.
One time lately he was very concern about not getting his newspapers delivered.
I convinced him that his Supervisor was taking care of them.
He seems that He is mostly happy there. However I never know when he ups and asks when does he get to come back home with me.

This has gone on for almost 41/2 years.
I feel so sorry for him, and know he needs me there as often as I can. But I am finding it really hard to talk myself into going over there to see him.
I have been having anxiety attacks they are getting worse. I had to have help getting home and some to bring my car home. I was in Sacrament Meeting and it was really great. I had not been worrying are upset or eaten the wrong foods. It just came on suddenly. The meeting was going to be closed down in 15-20 minutes, so I just sat there feeling like I might faint or fall over or something. They say I had turned very white, and they very concerned. I got Geni a dear friend to drive me home and Bhip. Imgrum and Pres. Welch got my car home for me. While they were here they gave me a Priesthood blessing. I was very grateful for it.

Somethings are going right in my life, none with Melissa Conway engaged to be married in the Mesa Temple in March. He is such a nice fellow. They seem to really be in love. Travis is a return missionary and a very nice man. He looks like a really nice keeper.

Tomorrow I should go to see Paul. But I'm not sure I am up to it. Most of the time he doesn't know it is me. But he is so glad that someone is there talking to him.
It is really hard, and I don't think there is a single person that truly understands.