GIVING THANKS CHALLENGE 2010 - Day 3

Today I'm again participating in the Giving Thanks Challenge sponsored by Leah over at South Breeze Farm.  For more information click on the Giving Thanks Challenge button on my sidebar.

I'm thankful for all the little creatures that bring us so much joy.  (You have to be an animal lover to appreciate this one.)

Their antics make us smile.  How did they drag the dog food container across the kitchen floor from the pantry?

"I'm innocent  I was just watching."

Giving Thanks Challenge 2010

I'm going to join in again this year with Leah at South Breeze Farm for the 2010 Giving Thanks Challenge.  I'm a day late, but just didn't get time to blog yesterday.   I'll begin with two things I'm thankful for today...one for yesterday and one for today.

1.  I'm thankful that Reid's biopsy procedure went well on Friday and he had little discomfort.  (We'll learn more on Friday when he has his appointment with the Oncologist.)

2.  I'm thankful that this is election day and I have the freedom to vote for the candidates I choose.  (I'm also thankful that there will be no more "robo calls" for another year!)

Moving forward...

Reid had his pre-biopsy appointment this morning and now he's all set for tomorrow's procedure.

He'll have to stay for a while afterwards to make sure air doesn't leak like it did after his chest biopsy last year.  The one thing he doesn't want is another chest tube.  The Physician's Assistant told him that what happened last time is unusual and probably won't happen again.

Last week a package arrived from one of my doll friends.  She sent Reid the crocheted shawl that he's wearing in this picture.  It comes in handy when the A/C is running.  He was so pleased that she thought of him.  Thanks Mary!  (And thanks for mine too!)

We bought Reid a recliner last week since he sometimes finds it more comfortable to be sitting up in a chair with a high back.  That shiny thing in the picture is a Zip Lock bag full of ice.  He finds that helps some too, but the thing that has helped the most is the change in medications.  He actually was able to go out with a friend for lunch one day this week and to Friday's to watch the Rockets play the other night.  That's a big change since he hadn't been able to go anywhere for almost a month!  He still hasn't driven because he's lost some use of the left hand, but his friend picked him up.

So, we're off to MD Anderson first thing tomorrow morning for the biopsy.  Your warm thoughts and prayers are appreciated.

Early Voting In Texas...

Early voting in Texas is about to drive me crazy.  Who came up with this idea anyway?

First of all, I don't trust it.  There's too much time for funny business.  Anyone want to vote for a dead person?  I'm sure they'd say everything is closely monitored, blah, blah, blah, but I still think there's too much time involved and I'd rather see voting on one day.  If you know you can't vote on that particular day you can always vote absentee (although I'm not sure I like that any better than early voting for the same reason).

What's really driving me crazy is the "robo" calls.  Does anyone listen to them?  Don't most of us hang up within the first few seconds?  Actually, I don't particularly care for the real human being calls either.  I can't even begin to tell you how many calls I've received in the last couple of weeks.

I'm on the Texas Do Not Call List and the National Do Not Call List.  I do not miss the numerous calls I used to receive from people selling siding, a new roof, etc.  The Do Not Call Lists were a wonderful idea and enacted into law because people were sick and tired of running to the phone (especially at dinner time) only to find someone (often rude) determined to sell you something and unwilling to take no for an answer.

The laws were a great idea, but guess who writes the laws?  Yes, politicians write and enact the laws and in their infinite wisdom they decided to exclude themselves.  That means come election time (and especially early voting time) they can harass us with their annoying calls.

This practice transcends all political followings and beliefs.  I've received calls from (or on behalf) of Republicans, Democrats, and even an Independent candidate.  To me it's indicitive of an attitude that many running for political office seem to posess.  It says to me, I'm so important I don't have to respect or honor a law that was made for the little people. 

It's a matter of respect...or lack of respect for the people that vote.  I cannot figure out a way to stop it.  A couple of years ago I E-mail both the county Republican and Democratic parties and asked to be taken off their calling lists.  I never received a reply from either party.

When a real human being calls I tell them that I don't want to be called and to remove my name from their list.  Often they immediately tell me that the Do Not Call Lists don't apply to them.  I know that and I'm merely asking them to respect my wishes if they want my vote. 

Perhaps I should run for political office?  I'll be the candidate that promises to respect the spirit of The Do Not Call List and not bother anyone with phone calls.  I think with so many people no longer having land lines the ones that still do receive all the calls.  I'm sure the phone lists are made up by using home addresses on the voter registration list and finding the phone listings.  It probably wouldn't happen as much with an unlisted number or a cell phone.  If I wasn't a registered voter I wouldn't receive calls either.

It's not fair.  I want to keep my land line and I want to vote.  With everything that's going on in our lives right now I can't ignore the phone.  So, I continue to run when it rings.  Election day can't come soon enough.

Happy Birthday Troy...and what a week it's been!

Our middle son Troy turned 40 on Wednesday, but we celebrated his birthday last Saturday while Keith was here from Austin.   This post is a little late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY TROY!

It was a simple celebration at home.  Reid has been in considerable pain and we couldn't go out to a restaurant, so we cooked hamburgers out on the grill and had some cake afterwards.  When our three sons get together there's a lot of teasing and joking and this day was no different from any other.  It was a great diversion.

Troy blew out the candles on his cake (and  hammed it up a little bit for the camera).  Reid asked him if he had made a wish.  He said he had and Reid replied, "If I get better we'll know your wish came true."  They both laughed and then Troy said, "But tonight is lottery night."  We all laughed.  I know the humor sounds a little bizarre, but the important thing is that we were all able to laugh together.

They indulged me and posed for a picture together.  L-R: Reid, Keith, and Troy.

Keith and Jim observing the festivities.  Be sure and enlarge the picture.  Jim's shirt says, "My Wife Rocks."  We joke that the shirt is a chick magnet because he always gets comments from other women on his shirt.  It was a gift from me. :)

Keith was only supposed to be in Houston for work until Wednesday, but he extended his stay until Friday with a couple of vacation days.  It was really nice for Reid to have Keith here as a diversion.  The pain had become so bad that I finally contacted the Physician's Assistant and she was able to get his appointment at the pain clinic moved up to Thursday.  It's made a considerable difference.  Although he's far from pain free the additional medication (long acting pain killer, nerve relaxer, and more Hydromorphane) has made the pain more tolerable.  He's lost 20 pounds in the last month because the pain seemed to take away his appetite.  He's eating a little more now.  His left arm has gotten very weak and he can no longer type on the computer.  He pretty much holds it in one position most of the time. 

On Friday he was seen in the brain and spine clinic.  The doctor that saw him first said that they thought the cancer was around the nerve and not in the nerve.  With regular Lymphoma the cancer can get in the nerve, but he said he had never heard of that happening with Hodgkin's.  They also think the mass is outside the spinal canal and pushing in.  At least that was our understanding. That was the case last year too.  His one pupil is larger than the other and the eye lid is a little droopy.  We hadn't noticed and no other doctor had either, but this doctor caught it and said it's also from the mass on a nerve.

The strange thing about the whole appointment was that they didn't know why Reid's Oncologist had sent him to them for an evaluation.  It was our understanding that it was to see if he could benefit from some radiation now and I'm assuming that's for pain relief.  That was not conveyed to this clinic.  They also didn't know what the treatment plan was and we told them a stem cell transplant.  We were told they would speak with Reid's Oncologist and he'd let him know something.

This coming Friday he has his biopsy and then on November 5th he'll see the Oncologist again.  All these appointments are so spread out and it's taking time to get everything done so treatment can begin.  It would not be so bad if it wasn't for the pain.  I guess in a way the pain is our friend because without it we would not have known anything was wrong until sometime in November when he had his next scheduled scan.

I know last year when he went numb from the arm pits down they were very concerned.   It was considered a medical emergency and he was put in intensive care.  That does not appear to be the case this time, so I console myself with that knowledge.

I went out to Joanne's and bought some fabric.  I've decided I need to find something to work on to keep my mind occupied so I don't find myself worrying.  I'm hoping to get some doll sewing done for Ann Estelle.  I'm going to sew together some felt jackets and then take them along to the hospital and start the embroidery on them this week.

Thank you for your interest and concern.

Waiting...

It's strange how animals sometimes instinctively know when something is wrong.

Little Ashely was one of the feral kittens that was living in our backyard.  I told the story here.   It seems his mother left him behind and took his litter mates away for a few days.  Ashley was crying in the garage, so we caught him with a humane trap and brought him inside.  He hid under the bed in the guest room and wouldn't come out.  At the time Reid was having radiation and was very tired so he offered to go in that room and sleep.  Eventually, he lured Ashley out from under the bed.  Ever since Ashely follows him around the house and sits outside his bedroom door and cries.

Reid has been in severe pain with the recurrence of his Hodgkin's.  Ashely seems to know and stays even closer.

Reid's pain has gotten continually worse and on Tuesday I went down to MD Anderson and got a prescription for the stronger medication.  It didn't help and today when he had his appointment with the Oncologist he got another prescription that he can use along with the first one.  It's taken the edge off, but he's still in a lot of pain.  He'll be seen in their pain clinic on the 25th.

He's been told that he'll need a stem cell transplant which will give him a 50-50 chance of being cured.  Hopefully, next week he'll have a biopsy and then the chemo can begin shortly thereafter.  We're assuming this is a recurrence of the Hodgkin's and not something else, but a biopsy is necessary.

He'll also be seen in their brain and spine clinic on the 22nd to see if they think he could benefit from radiation to the spine.  And he's set up with an appointment with an interventional radiologist on the 28th.

It isn't easy watching your child in this kind of pain...no matter how old the child.  I've been on the verge of pulling a Shirley MacLaine on more than one occasion.  He's been through so much this past year and yet he still manages to smile.

Now Reid waits for word on when "Plan B" can be implemented.  Ashely waits at his side.

Thank you for your warm thoughts and prayers.

Preparing for "Plan B"

We spent a good part of Thursday and Friday down at MD Anderson so Reid could have blood work, CT scan, PET scan, etc., done.  He has an appointment with the Oncologist next Friday, October 15th.

Sadly, he's in considerable pain.  A week ago the ER doctor gave him a prescription for pain, but by Wednesday he was running out.  We tried to call and get the prescription refilled, but since it's a controlled substance only his doctor can write the prescription and he wasn't there.  The Physician's Assistant gave us a prescription on Thursday for a non-controlled pain killer and Reid says it helps some, but neither prescription takes the pain away or makes him feel like doing much.  He doesn't even want to drive because turning his neck to check the blind spots is nearly impossible.   Yesterday by the time the last test was done he was really hurting and we grabbed a wheelchair for the long walk through the hospital and to the parking garage. 

MD Anderson has wheelchairs all over the place and it's never difficult to find one.  They also have chairs, couches, recliners, rockers, etc., all over the place.  Since there's often a lot of waiting between tests they really try and make things as comfortable as possible.  There are also tables and chairs spread throughout the buildings with jigsaw puzzles.  You often see patients curled up on couches or in comfortable chairs sleeping.  For Reid one of the recliners yesterday with back support made him a little more comfortable while waiting.  I really think they've thought things through and try and make things as comfortable as possible.

This week while we were trying to get pain medication for Reid I got an E-mail alert from our local police department.  A drug dealer was arrested with 200 of the pills that Reid could have really used for pain.  It makes me so mad because people like that make it difficult for someone that really needs the medication to get it.  I totally understand why the prescription needs to come from his doctor.  Ever since I signed up for the E-mail alerts I've been surprised by how many arrests are made in this little town and so often it's for someone with prescription medication without a prescription.  It's definitely a big problem.

For now Reid is using the medication that the PA prescribed.  His doctor was there yesterday and we could have gone by and gotten another prescription, but Reid decided he'd go with what the PA prescribed.  I hope he'll be somewhat comfortable over the weekend.  We know his doctor will be in the clinic on Tuesday, so if necessary I'll go down and get the other medication then.

I feel so bad that he didn't call MD Anderson within a week of the pain appearing.  I know he didn't because he knew I was busy running back and forth to the nursing home while my Dad was dying and he was trying to make things easier for me.  I could cry when I think about him suffering now because he was trying to spare me.

The Oncologist told us in August that he has a "Plan B" for Reid if there was a recurrence, so we wait now for word on "Plan B."

Family Update...

We arrived home from New Jersey and Dad's funeral very early Friday morning.  Everything went well in New Jersey (except the weather which didn't cooperate) and many wonderful memories were shared by friends and relatives.

Reid had been complaining about his left arm hurting and feeling numb for a few weeks, but wanted to wait until we returned to go down to MD Anderson.  Yesterday we took him to the ER at Anderson and sadly his Hodgkin's Lymphoma has returned and is pressing on a nerve to his left arm.  He's been given pain medication and will follow up with the Oncologist on Monday or Tuesday.  We were all very disappointed to hear this news.  He was finally getting some energy back after all the treatments and we were optimistic that he could begin school shortly.  On his last visit with the Oncologist in August he was told that if there was a recurrence he had a "Plan B."  So, it looks like he'll be moving on to "Plan B."

Needless to say, with all that has gone on lately I probably won't be having much time to post or E-mail.  My E-mail boxes are overflowing and I'm probably going to go in and start deleting.

Thank you for your warm thoughts and prayers during this difficult time in our lives.

Old Photos of Dad

I've been busy scanning old photos for Dad's funeral next week and thought I'd share some of my favorites.  I can't help but smile when I look at some of these.  I have more and will share them as time allows.  Things are kind of hectic right now.

Chicago White Sox Win!

Today the Chicago White Sox beat the Oakland Athletics 4-3.  How do I know?  I get an E-mail update from Major League Baseball.  Why do I get that update?  I've been getting it for a number of years so I could keep my Dad informed.

Dad grew up in a suburb of NYC, but around the age of 12 he became a Chicago White Sox fan.  It seems the members of his Boy Scout Troop decided to pick teams to root for and Dad got the Chicago White Sox by default.  He said by the time they got to him there weren't too many teams left, so he picked the White Sox.

Dad making the tag, his brother Robert as umpire, and his friend Clarence sliding into home plate. 

The White Sox have never had such a loyal fan.  It would have been so easy for Dad to become a Yankee fan at sometime over the years, but he never succumbed.  The White Sox were his team and that was all there was to it.

Sometime in the 1950's Dad discovered that he could pick up the Baltimore radio station on the car radio.  So, whenever the White Sox played Baltimore  Dad would sit in the hot garage and listen to the game.  Of course, he often got to see them play on TV when they came to town to play the Yankees.  I guess that's how he became a die hard Yankee hater.  He took his baseball very seriously.  Once in a while we actually went to Yankee Stadium when the White Sox were in town.  Dad enjoyed seeing his team in person.

Dad's only been to Chicago a few times in his life and never for a game.  He followed his team in the newspaper, The Sporting News, and the sports reports on TV and radio.  For most of his years that's the way he kept track of how they were doing.  This was before cable or satellite TV.

Finally in 2005 they beat my Houston Astros in the World Series.  Dad was ecstatic!  It was a dream come true for him.  At the time he was living in NJ and he'd call me in Texas after each game and we'd rehash what we had just seen happen.

In 2006 Dad moved to Texas and lived nearby in Assisted Living.  For the first time in his life he was able to see most of the White Sox games.  I signed up for MLB TV and would bring Dad over here to watch their games online.  He was that 12 year old kid again.  He'd sit in front of the computer screen watching excitedly.  Just about everyone in Assisted Living knew he was a White Sox fan and after a win he'd be so excited on the ride back to the facility.  He couldn't wait to share his good news.

Sadly, Dad's Alzheimer's progressed and he had to be moved to a nursing home a little over a year ago.  This year for the first time he no longer asked me how the White Sox were doing.  However, every day the aides made sure he wore his White Sox cap.

Yesterday he took a turn for the worse and for the first time spent the day in bed without his cap.  Early this morning the Chicago White Sox lost their oldest and most faithful fan outside of Chicago.  I'll continue receiving those E-mail alerts from the Chicago White Sox because then a piece of Dad will always be with me.

I like to think they won today's game for Dad.  Thanks guys.  You never knew him, but he sure knew you!

World Alzheimer's Day

World Alzheimer's Day is coming up on September 21, 2010.  I received the following message from the Alzheimer's Association and signed the petition.  Can I ask for your help too?

My Dad who was a brilliant man with a wonderful personality is now under Hospice care for this horrible disease.  The disease has progressed rapidly in the last few weeks and my Dad no longer knows me or speaks.  Most of the time he forgets to swallow which makes it difficult for him to receive adequate liquids and nourishment.  Remembering to swallow is one of the last things to go.  Alzheimer's is a very cruel disease.

I'm afraid a cure or decent treatment is still a long ways off, but perhaps by signing this petition we can help others in the future.



Subject Line: It's Time for a Breakthrough
Dear friends,
Alzheimer's disease steals the future from millions of Americans. It robs spouses of their companions and children of their parents and grandparents; it erodes the health and financial resources of caregivers.
I just signed a petition calling on Congress to make Alzheimer's disease a national priority. Will you add your voice?
http://www.alz.org/petition
Your signature will be delivered to Congress on September 21, 2010 World Alzheimer's Day.
Together, we can make Alzheimer's a national priority.



Thank you!



Better days...May 2005.  Dad enjoying lunch on a dock in Galveston, TX.

Dad with Reid, Troy, Keith and "Shelby" in our backyard.

ALPHABE-THURSDAY RAINBOW SUMMER SCHOOL...ANY COLOR!

Thank you Ms. Jenny.  This week's assignment is any color, black, or rainbow colors.  That makes it so much easier for me.  I didn't think I'd have time to participate in Ms. Jenny's Alphabe-Thursday Rainbow Summer School this week, but I found I already had some pictures I could use.  The pictures are from years past and I guess that's kind of cheating, but at least I'm here!  To see more Rainbow Summer School posts head over to Jenny's blog...Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."

I'm thinking orange again because it's such a nice Fall color and I'm so ready for Fall.  Here are the kids enjoying Halloween in past years.


This was one of our Halloween parties...

\

We always enjoy carving our pumpkin each year...

A day at the Pumpkin Patch...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

(I know...it's a little early.)



Remembering...

It's a day I'll always remember.  I was getting ready to go for my morning walk at the mall and Good Morning America was on as background noise.  I wasn't really paying attention.  Then all of a sudden I heard something about a plane crashing into the World Trade Center.  I stopped what I was doing and watched.  That's when I saw the second plane go into the second tower.

I ran to the phone to call my Dad in NJ and tell him to stay home.  He was in his 80's and drove every day to Port Newark which is right next to Newark Airport.  I knew traffic would be horrendous and didn't want him caught in the massive traffic jam.  He had heard the news and had already decided to stay home.

I guess like most Americans I stayed glued to the television for many days.  On the one year anniversary of 9/11 the Houston Chronicle published a special section and something I wrote was chosen to be included.  The yellow newspaper clipping still hangs on my refrigerator door.

One year after 9/11 I wrote that my heart would beat faster every time there was a news bulletin on television and that I would say a silent prayer every time a plane flew overhead.  Sometimes my heart still does beat a little faster when there's a news bulletin, but I no longer say my silent prayer for every plane that flies over.  You have no idea how many planes are in the sky until you attempt such a project, but for a while I felt like I had to say a prayer to keep those planes up in the air.  I know it sounds silly now, but that's how the trauma of 9/11 affected me.  To be honest now I don't even notice the planes in the sky most of the time, but after 9/11 I heard every single one.

In 2004 my son and I went to NJ to see my Dad.  We took a quick trip into NYC one day.  I really didn't want to see the World Trade Center site, but somehow we ended up on a subway from Hoboken that took us into the World Trade Center subway station that had just recently reopened.  We crossed the street and I took this picture.

The people were pouring out onto the street from the subway.  In that moment I realized that life does go on even after such a horrible disaster.  Life is changed forever, but it does go on.

ALPHABE-THURSDAY...This post is short and sweet!

It's time again for Alphabe-Thursday Rainbow Summer School sponsored by Ms. Jenny Matlock over at Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent."  This week we are studying the color violet and I'll try and keep this post short and sweet.

I'm kinda cheating and stealing Ms. Matlock's idea by posting a couple of our wedding pictures.  What do you think?  Are the bridesmaids and maid of honor wearing violet?  Actually, the maid of honor is my sister and she's to my left.  Her dress was actually a couple of shades lighter than the bridesmaids, but you'd never know it from this picture.  The bridesmaids all wore the same shade of violet, but the bridesmaid next to my sister looks like she's wearing a darker shade.  It's just the lighting and the toll 40+ years have taken on the picture.

Perhaps outdoor lighting will be more realistic?

I tried touching these pictures up, but I have no idea what all the different things in the photo software program do, so I usually just end up darkening them.  I fooled a little with it, but I don't think it made much of a difference.

Actually, when we got married I thought the dresses were lavender, but I was desperate once again and decided to call them violet for today.

When I look at these pictures I realize that we haven't kept in touch with quite a few members of our wedding party.  We've moved around a lot over the years and just lost contact.  Most of them have stayed in the NJ, NY, CT area.

Now head over to Ms. Matlock's blog for real violet pictures!

MY FAVORITE RECIPE

I've always loved Franco-American Spaghetti.  When I was pregnant the first time there were only two things I could eat...when I was able to eat at all.  One was the Shoney Big Boy Sandwich and the other was Franco-American Spaghetti.

I guess it was four or five years ago that I noticed the name Franco-American disappeared.  However, the same products now had the Campbell's name on the label.  That was OK until my spaghetti disappeared from the shelves of Kroger and HEB.  They were still selling the Spaghetti-O's, but they're quite different from the spaghetti.  There's a completely different flavor.  I just assumed the spaghetti had been discontinued by Campbell's.  I was so wrong!

I never grocery shop at Walmart, but needed a grocery item while I was there.  I was strolling up and down the aisles and to my surprise stumbled upon my old Franco-American Spaghetti now known as Campbell's Spaghetti.  It had not been discontinued.  I bought a bunch of cans and have been in Franco-American Spaghetti heaven ever since.

It's so easy to make.  Just follow this recipe.  Open the can and heat until it bubbles.  Enjoy.

UPDATE TO THE FAMILY UPDATE

I posted an update here on Reid's visit with the Oncologist on August 27th.  This past week he had his appointment with the Radiologist on August 31st, and I'm feeling a whole lot better now about what was said. 

The Radiologist said the mass had increased in size, but not significantly.  She said that if there were cancer cells he would have lit up on the PET scan and he didn't.  She feels that it could possibly be inflammation from the radiation or the way the CT scan was done.  I probably don't have this exactly right, but it had something to do with the way he might have held his breath or was positioned for the scan.  I know the explanation sounded good to me at the time. :)  I do know she wasn't too concerned and that is what is important.

He is supposed to start watching his cholesterol because it's high and there's a chance that the radiation will have affected his coronary arteries, so he should be diligent about taking care of his heart from now on.  She was pleased with the pulmonary function test.  It was exactly the same as it was before radiation.  It's no better, but more importantly it's no worse.  He goes back to see the Radiologist  in three months.

The Oncologist and the Radiologist have both now said pretty much the same thing.  We're grateful that things have gone so well.

Alphabe-Thursday Rainbow Summer School - INDIGO

I've been patiently waiting for the color indigo so I could share a very special part of my life with you during Alphabe-Thursday Rainbow Summer School.  Please visit Ms. Jenny's blog Jenny Matlock..."off on my tangent..." for a list of my fellow students and the links to their blogs.

Growing up in NJ there were commuter trains that would stop at the local train station in the morning and the evening.  There were also freight trains that would pass through during the day. 

When I was in the fifth grade my friends and I would walk downtown and sometimes walk along the train tracks.  When we'd hear a train coming we would quickly put our pennies on the track and hide.  For some reason we thought we'd be in trouble if the engineer or conductor saw us.  After the train would pass we'd retrieve our flattened pennies from the rail.  We would play this little game over and over again until we ran out of pennies.

One day as we walked along the track we heard a weak meow.  We started scanning the track and there between a couple of railroad ties was a tiny white kitten.  He was probably six or seven weeks old and looked up at us with the prettiest dark blue eyes.  He weakly meowed again.   We knew we couldn't leave him there, so I picked him up and we all headed to my house as quickly as possible.  When we arrived with this skinny little creature my mother took pity and offered him a dish of water.  He drank and drank.  We had no cat food so Mom opened up a can of tuna fish and gave him some.  He gulped it right down.

Mom decided we should take him to the Veterinarian to be checked out.  He was a little underweight and slightly dehydrated, but the Veterinarian pronounced him healthy.  His beautiful blue eyes sparkled and the Veterinarian commented on the unusual shade of blue.  He said they looked like indigo to him and he had never seen a cat with such beautiful eyes before. 

Mom agreed to let me keep him and all we needed now was a name.  Because of the Veterinarian's comment about his eyes my Mom suggested the name Indigo.  After a family vote the name Indigo became official.

Indigo knew he was my cat and would sleep most nights on my bed.  When I had a bad day at school it was Indigo who would have to listen to my tail of woe.  If I was sick it was Indigo who kept me company while I rested.  In the morning it was Indigo who would wake me up with his scratchy tongue on my cheek.  We were best friends.

In 1968 I got married and moved away.  I missed Indigo and eventually my husband and I got our own cat.  Indigo now belonged to Mom and Dad.  Whenever I came home for a visit he would hear my voice and greet me with a meow.  I loved those visits and Indigo would once again curl up next to me at night.  My husband would joke about being displaced during those visits. 

Eventually old age started to catch up with Indigo.  We saw him gradually slowing down.  Finally, the call came late one night.  Mom wanted to let me know that she and Dad had made the painful decision to have Indigo euthanized the next morning.  I knew I had to be there for my best friend, so against my husbands advice I quickly packed a bag, jumped in the car, and headed north.  I drove through the night and reached NJ around five in the morning.

At 9:00 AM Mom called the Veterinarian and was told to bring him right in.  I held my little friends paw as he slowly slipped away.  I've had many cats in my life, but never one as special as Indigo.

Now you can understand why I was looking forward to this week and the color Indigo assignment.  It has give me an opportunity to share my very special friend with you.   Now head over to Ms. Jenny's blog for a list of my classmates and links to their blogs.

I hope you've all had a special imaginary friend in your life too. 


Yes, Indigo is my imaginary friend.  He only exists in my mind because I was desperate this week and couldn't think of anything else to post.



Can we talk?  What kind of a name is indigo for a color?  I can understand green, blue, yellow, etc., but indigo??? 

Sorry, this was the best I could do.  Please don't flunk me Ms. Matlock.