A Big Legacy

 This is my grandpa and grandma on my mama's side and one of my uncles. Back when he was able my grandpa made many handles for tools such as shovels, hoes, mattocks, axes, etc. We lost him in 1974. They had 8 sons and 2 daughters counting my mama. He spent many a day in that little shed beside the house making handles for tools for others

He had one son that kept it up till he got disabled. They made them out of hickory, and white oak because they lasted longer. My uncle Clinton worked on them many years till his mind got bad and we lost him a few years ago at the age of 86. Lots of folks brought their tools and in his later years his mind started getting so bad that his wife would put their names on the tools cause he couldn't remember who brought them. She would sit in that little shop in later years and watch him cause he had already cut his hand really bad in the past.

Lots of people still have their tools that he put handles in today like my husband and son and many others as well. . Some folks may have some that my grandpa did as well. I know my daddy did at one time. My uncle even made handles for tools for the road department for many years. I know this is an old trade and a lost art but they sure did leave a big legacy behind..

Blessings to all ~Susie~

Update

 

Thought I would give a little update to let you all know how things are going right now. I've been trying to push through and seemed to be getting my strength back a little each day but with Addison's disease it's hard to find a new norm. I've been trying to sit up more each day and it made me feel more like a human being but that all changed with me again last week.

I have some old crud that I was calling the change of season crud and hoping it was just a viral thing and I could overcome it but no such luck so far. I know it's not the covid but it sure has hit me hard. I called my Dr. today and talked with her and she put me on an antibiotic like last winter when I had pneumonia and it took me two months to get over it. I haven't been out of the house since this past February and it's just me and my husband and my home health aid that comes in 4 hours daily and she has been very careful .

With Addison's disease we live on steroids to replace the cortisol that our Adrenal Glands can't put out. Cortisol is our Stress hormone that keeps us going when stress hits our bodies. Sickness of any type is stress on the body and taking antibiotics causes even more stress. So when this happens we have to double or triple our steroid doses to get through it.  When we get better we have to slowly taper our steroids back down to our usual doses. I take five small doses daily and it takes a long time to taper each one back down. 

I know you all get tired of reading about my ups and downs because everyone seems to have their own battles to fight. It's very sad times we're living in but God is our only constant and the one we can always depend on to help us through this hard walk of life. I'm clinging to him cause he has brought me so far. I'm sorry for not checking in on all of you like I should and keep up with your sweet posts. 

I'm praying for all and for the day when we can feel better and secure enough to live our lives in some peace for a change.

I will close for now and will check back with you all soon as possible. Sending lots of Hugs, Love and Prayers to all. May God Bless.  ~Susie~

Hello Everyone

I guess you all think I've flown the coop since it's been long time no see. I just wanted to update you all and let you know I've missed everyone. I'm on a hard journey right now fighting a disease that has a mind of its own. We never know how strong we are till we face hard battles in life. Addison's is suppose to be a rare disease that not even the doctors know much about. It's basically called Adrenal Failure. When the Adrenal Glands go down we are in a bad place cause they produce so many of our hormones that our body lives on like Cortisol which is our stress hormone. All they can give us to live on is steroids to replace it. Cortisol is a very important hormone and living without it can lead to death because it goes to every organ in our body and without it one can go into an Adrenal Crisis and die within a few minutes. I've been bedridden since the first of May but I'm doing a little better since I had some in home Rehab for a while. I was to weak for much Rehab .

Ok, I don't want to bore you all with my ailments but want to let you all know that I will try to do more and check in as often as I can with your posts. It seems time is flying so fast and is gone before we know it. There's alot going on in the world today and all we can do is pray. God is our only hope.

 I pray that all of you are well and have enjoyed your summer. We are starting to see signs of Fall here in Western N.C. I'm hoping I can get back to my writing soon cause I've missed it so much. I had to stop my quilting a long time ago and all the other things that I loved to do. But my husband is such a Blessing as he's been by my side every step of the way even with a bad back. One Blessing is having a Home Health Aid coming in four hours daily to help me with my personal care and help him with some house chores. Through this journey I've come to find out that the little things are the most important . I've grown even more close to God and he knows our needs even when we don't know ourselves. He is so good. 

I'll close for now and will check back soon. You all take care and God Bless.. ~Susie~

Only One Shoe

                                                  Two old shoes sit in the corner
                                                   one worn the other brand new
                                                   tells the story of an old fellow
                                                   one of the finest I ever knew

                                                   Two legs are better than one
                                                   with one leg he made do
                                                   he really learned how to get by
                                                   needing only the one shoe

                                                   He was an inspiration to all
                                                   as he hobbled on through
                                                   despite the pain and anguish
                                                   gray skies were always blue

                                                   For him, nothing ever came easy
                                                   his struggles were more than a few
                                                   he was a very special uncle
                                                   with a different kind of view

                                                   Having fun was his trademark
                                                   plenty of joking came easy too
                                                   especially come Christmas Time
                                                   the presents he already knew

                                                  Driving a car was his dream
                                                  just like he used to do
                                                  if it wasn't for one shoe
                                                  his dream would've come true

                                                 He tried to teach me to drive
                                                 in a big, open field we flew
                                                 one cow in the whole field
                                                 I almost ran over it too

                                                So many treasured yesterdays
                                                in his mind on them he drew
                                                the strength and determination
                                                to face what he entered into

                                                He never did have riches
                                                of worldly things that grew
                                                his heart contained the wealth
                                                a giant measure of his virtue

                                               He gave flowers to the living
                                               fresh as the morning dew
                                               no time was like the present
                                               from his flower garden hue
                 
                                               Then one day he gladly bid
                                                a fond farewell and ado
                                                instead of wearing one shoe
                                                today he's wearing two

© Susie Swanson, 2020

My one and only Uncle on my dad's side and two of my brothers. He's been gone since 1975 and we still miss him so bad.

 

Update

I'm back Folks and it has been awhile. I guess you all have been wondering if I abandoned everyone and my Blog. I didn't intend on staying away so long but I've had a very hard go of it since my diagnosis two years ago of Addison's Disease.

I couldn't tell you the whole story of what's happened because it would take to long and I'm not able to be on here long at a time. But I'm coping and learning how to live with my new norm .

Not many people know what this disease is, not even the doctors know much about it. The Endocrinoligists get a couple of patients in their whole career and that's about it. They only know how to hand out the steroids and tell you that you have to take them the rest of your life. They fail to tell you that most of these steroids only last 4 to 6 hours in the body and you're on your own the rest of the day. Steroids are our life saving meds and we have to be on alert and listen to our body or else. I've learned to split my daily dosage up into 5 doses daily. These steroids replace what the adrenals fail to produce of the life saving hormone called cortisol. It's our stress hormone among other things. If we get any type of stress on our bodies such as sickness, mental, emotional, etc. we have to updose our daily dosage to get by or go into an adrenal crisis which means if we can't get enough steroids in our bodies to buy us a little time to get to the ER our organs will start shutting down and we are a goner.

I've had a few close calls in the last couple of years but managed to get enough steroids in me till I could get to the ER. We live in a small area and have two hospitals but I only go to the same one every time. One would think as many times as I've been and told them my issues they would have it all in the computer and I wouldn't have to take my paper work in and my card to show them I need immediate medical attention. I'm a member of the NADF (National Adrenal Disease Foundation) and they sent me a lot of paperwork to take with me each time but the Doctors still have to Goggle it. But that's enough about me for now.

We've also had other sickness in my family as well. We almost lost my oldest brother back the last of May and into June. He was diagnosed last year with colon cancer and they were able to take it out and he was put in with the Cancer Center Doctors. This past spring his cancer numbers came back very high and he was sent for MRI'S and Scans. They found it in his liver and he went through three of the strongest Chemo's the human body can with stand trying to shrink it enough for the cancer surgeon to go in and take part of his liver out.

They did the cancer surgery on May 28^th and they found it not only in his liver but in his gallbladder and lymp nodes too. They said they got it all but that night after the surgery he had a heart attack and they had to work fast to save him. They kept him on a ventilator for almost 7 days till he could get a little stronger and they went in and did Heart Bypass on him. They had to replace the main valve to his heart also it was damaged so bad. He went through all of the cancer treatments and surgery with no knowledge from him or the doctors knowing anything about how bad his heart really was. The heart doctor told him he wouldn't have made it much longer even if he was at home without a major heart attack. Then on top of everything else he developed an infection where they had to replace his main valve to his heart and had to be on IV Antibiotics for six weeks. The nurses taught his wife how to administer the antibiotics into his port. She said, she and God did it all. We just never know what we can do when we're up against a wall.

The nurses have been coming into his home and drawing blood every week and sending it to be checked out. But Praise God he is now on the mend. The nurses are still coming in but he's been released from the Rehab.

I wanted to tell you all this to show how God really does work when we need him the most and my brother says it was not his time to go yet. Amen to that and we all give God the Glory and Praise for what he has done and still doing in our lives.

Let's just say I had to take a lot of my life saving meds to get by

I'm sorry for the long post but wanted to let you all know I'll try to visit each one when and as I'm able and I have missed everyone so much and all of your posts. Thank you all so much for not giving up on me. May God Bless you all !!

~Susie~

 

Blogger Break

As some of you have noticed I haven't been on here much or kept up with you and your posts. Due to my illness I have had to slack off quite a bit and not even able to be on the computer much anymore. It has grown increasingly worse for me to battle through this Horrific Disease called Addison's.

I don't have much mobility at all anymore and can't see to good. But I'm clinging to my Faith and God's promise of a better tomorrow. I know lots on here are fighting their own battles and you all are and will stay in my prayers. I will be back soon I hope but till then May God bless each one of you. ~Susie~

My Hero

When I go home across the hills at evening

My little flock of memories gather in

A gentle peace and quietness will settle

I look back and remember my hero once again

The man I always knew and called daddy

That worked so hard to keep us fed

With a wrinkled brow and callused hands

He provided a roof and a place to lay my head

I see him in the garden, come early spring

With his overalls on and his favorite hoe

He stayed with it from the beginning to end

Nary a weed was allowed to grow

I see him in the winter, in the fallen snow

Splitting pine for kindling to start a fire

Gathering in the night’s water and wood

In his plaid coat and gloves, his favorite attire

Each day I hear and see him with his dog Toby

I’m going out to the old place, he’d say

As they happily walked through my yard

Oh what a keepsake memory today

I see those big, apple trees he planted

Tall just like daddy, oh how they grew

So many treasures I’ve come to enjoy

When it comes to my daddy, I’m like glue

He’d tell straight out, he never had much school

Couldn‘t read and write, certainly no degree

The gift of knowledge flowed through his veins

For ninety four years, he taught constantly

To all that listened and wanted to know

Wisdom from the most wise is a gift to behold

As my daddy eased on down through life

So much joy came in pouring out his soul

He walked each road, climbed every hill

He knew everybody for miles around

If they didn’t know him, they came to know

He owned and had many a stomping ground

So many examples he set before me

So many memories, such good times

From when I was little and even grown

He taught me life lessons, only he could design

My daddy is now walking and talking in heaven

Up there where fathers are a chosen kind

I’m now left with my precious flock of memories

And my hero’s love he gladly left behind

© Susie Swanson, 2019

Happy Father's Day to all Fathers and may your day be as special as you.