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.

The Finest I've Ever Seen

                                          We no longer raise gardens, chickens and hogs

                                          No more smoking chimneys, we now use gas logs

                                          There's no more hog killings on Thanksgiving Day

                                          Only turkeys and hams grace the tables today

                                          We no longer carry water in for the night

                                          There's plenty of running water and baths delight

                                          There's no more sitting by an old oil lamp

                                          A light hangs from the ceiling, an electric revamp

                                          No more traveling preachers, a thing of the past

                                          Big new churches, log churches are in the past

                                          There's no more Store Truck making its way through

                                          Like kids in a candy store, we stood like a statue

                                          An orange and an apple used to be a Christmas treat

                                          Now days electronics are the only thing that's neat

                                         Keeping a milk cow and churning our own buttermilk

                                         They now snarl their nose if its not store bought milk

                                         There's not many clothes now blowing in the wind

                                         We now have clothes dryers and washers that spin

                                         No one takes time to visit their neighbors or the sick

                                         My daddy's not here with his big walking stick

                                        The canning and jelly making days are almost gone

                                         Just a few old timers left to carry on

                                        There's no one left to cure the thrash (Thrush) anymore

                                        My mama's gone and her cure is no more

                                        There's no more prayer and recess in school

                                        It seems everything now has become man's rule

                                        Those old aprons they wore with money tucked away

                                        Is gone too, like their hair tucked in buns of gray

                                        And those old time zinnas my grandma so loved

                                        They now grace heaven with beauty and love

                                        There's no more plowing with an old mule now

                                        They use big tractors but that old mule sure could plow

                                        There's no more hunting foxes, possums and coons

                                        And sitting by a campfire listening to the dogs croon

                                        That good squirrel gravy and dumplins I still smell

                                        My mama sure could make them so yummy and swell

                                        There's no more sleeping with six in the bed

                                        With three at the foot and three at the head

                                        And sweeping the yard with a worn out broom

                                        Praying for some grass to grow really soon

                                        There's no more swinging on those old grapevines

                                        Or playing hopscotch in the sand with hand drawn lines

                                        There's no more crawling through the barbed wire fence

                                        Trying to escape the bull, we didn't have any sense

                                        Playing in the cold creek was a summer time game

                                        Claiming to fall in on a winter's morning wasn't the same

                                        Going fishing at the old mill pond with fishing pole in hand

                                        Losing track of time, the fishing was so grand

                                        Helping mama find Poke Salad in the early spring

                                        Climbing through the briars and snakes was her thing

                                        Or picking creesy greens from the creek bank each year

                                        Not knowing the difference with mama not here

                                        Going to bed with the chickens on hot summer days

                                        No time change did we have, we got used to the same ways

                                        There's no more robbing the hen's nest in the early morn

                                        Those old hens sure could lay, fed good with corn

                                        Those wonderful old days I loved and once knew

                                         Is now gone and the old ways too

                                        The living was so good, the finest I've ever seen 

                                         I love to go back it makes my heart sing

                                            © Susie Swanson, 2019

A Warrior

I have fought a hundred battles

In my mind I've seen it all

I have raised my gun against the enemy

And seen my comrades die and fall

I have carried the armor of courage

Always wanting to do my part

On land, sea, jungles and deserts

It will always lay heavy on my heart

To my brothers and sisters that have fallen

I will always remember them well

So much sacrifice, they gave their all

In that place we all called hell

Inside the battles are still raging

In my mind I still see and hear

Mortals, shells and the enemy

In my sleep they still appear

Yet each day I try to carry on

Although I have cried many tears

If I had to do it over again

I would shed my coat of fears

And walk straight into battle

With my head held mighty high

For the freedom I fight hard for

I am willing to lie down and die

I will always be a Warrior

Even after I'm dead and gone

Please do not forsake me

Fly old Glory proud and strong

© Susie Swanson, 2019