Family Ties

As we all grow older, it seems we cherish time with family more than when we were younger. Maybe it’s because we’re wiser or more nostalgic, or maybe it’s just because we’re not around them as much…tee hee. Over the last couple years this lifestyle has afforded us the opportunity to spend time with family members we hadn’t seen in years. This past week was the third summer we have spent visiting with Russ’ sister, Terri, and her family. She and Bill have a beautiful home where they’ve lived for the past 32 years, and this is the first time we’ve visited when the hydrangea bushes were in full bloom…simply gorgeous.

Their three grown kids always make an extra effort to drop by several times while we’re there to visit with us. Kristi and her boyfriend, Erick, were leaving for a brief Florida vacation a couple days after we arrived but she made sure to drop by so we could meet Erick, something we had missed doing last year. We actually saw them a couple times before they left town, and he seems like a really nice young man.

Terri baby sits Billy’s son, Josh, a few days a week, and picks up his brother, Will, from pre-school in the afternoons, watching them until one of their parents picks them up after work. We were in town for Josh’s birth last year and he will turn one next month…they grow up so fast! Will soon will be four, and Russ is his buddy, sharing a love of the movie Cars. Russ has a Cars/Disney “map” on his laptop, and Will loved looking at that with his Uncle Russ.

Their other son, Matthew, aka Boo, got engaged a few months ago to his longtime girlfriend, Taylor. (That's Boo pictured at left with his Aunt Mary Ellen & Taylor is in the group photo lower right.) We stopped by their place for a brief visit one night, and saw Boo several other times as he usually stops by the house around lunchtime. They also came over Memorial Day for a great barbecue. There’s always plenty of food and drink! Bill’s the BBQ master but we had Terri take this picture of us as a joke…tee hee! Bill’s brother, Mike, and his wife, Mary Ellen, came over for the day, as did Billy and Maggie with the boys. The pool was open but the water was a little too chilly for nearly everyone but the dogs. But Terri cooled down the jacuzzi so the little ones could use it as the pool for the day. Here are a few photos from the festivities:



















Russ’ mom still lives with Terri and just celebrated her 91st birthday this month. She spends most of her time in her room either watching TV or sleeping but did manage to come out for some dessert on Memorial Day. Alzheimer’s is such a cruel disease that robs the person and their family of so much. She really doesn’t know who anyone is anymore, not even Terri. She is otherwise in relatively good health, not taking medications for anything. However she did give us a scare the day before we left. Wed. morning she refused to get out of bed complaining of severe pain in her ankle and not able to walk or even stand. We tried sitting her up on the edge of her bed but even the slightest touch to that area of her leg would send her into pleas to stop. We knew she hadn’t fallen out of bed because she would not have been able to get herself back up. We let her lie back down while Terri wrestled with what to do. It was possible that the next day she’d be fine but if something was seriously wrong, you didn’t want to wait too long. Finally Terri decided to call 911, and the ambulance took mom to the ER. Terri had made arrangements for Billy to come get Josh, and Russ, Terri, and I followed the ambulance to the hospital. We arrived about noon, and the ER was packed with people who had been waiting several hours for a room. Terri knew one of the nurses and we were fortunate enough to get mom into a curtained area while we waited. The doctor on call checked her over and though she was running a very slight temp, could really find no cause for her obvious pain when he touched her ankle and lower leg. He decided he’d take some x-rays but in the meantime, Terri asked him to give her something for the pain. Once he did, she was out like a light, looking so small, helpless, and frail. Russ and I went back to the house for a bit and returned just in time for them to have secured her an actual room. It was now about 6:15pm, only 6 hours later…luckier than most. Once she was settled in the room, we all left, and it was a little emotional for us. We considered staying another day but Terri said that the last time she was in the hospital a few years ago, mom had been basically comatose for three days after they gave her meds and figured that’s what would happen again. We knew she was in good hands and decided there was nothing more we could do so planned to hit the road the next morning, stopping by the hospital for one last visit on the way out of town. When Russ and I walked into her room at 9am the next morning, she still appeared to be sleeping. Russ bent over and said “Mom, it’s Russ and Susan”, at which time she opened her eyes and said “Well, I’ve been waiting for you two” (though we really doubt that). Much to our surprise she was alert and rather chipper though irritated she was in the hospital. She remembered nothing from the day before, which isn’t surprising, and was the best we had seen her the entire week. We tried explaining to her why she was there, and when Russ felt her leg and ankle, she looked at him like he was nuts and said “that’s my leg, what are you doing?” There was no pain. Her roommate mentioned that the doctor had been in earlier talking to her, and overheard him say that she had some congestion in her lungs. It was just such a relief to both of us to see her awake, alert, and in rare form. She’ll stay in the hospital a couple of days to keep an eye on what they think is bronchitis and have a physical therapist come in to evaluate her, too.

Feeling much better, we hit the road for Gettysburg but planned to make a brief stop at Valley Forge on the way. Valley Forge National Historical Park (http://www.nps.gov/vafo/) commemorates the Dec. 1777 – June 1778 winter encampment of the Continental Army consisting of nearly 12,000 men under the command of Gen. George Washington. After watching the 18 min. film presented by the National Park Service, we toured through the museum that is full of displays and artifacts showing what life was like in the camp. We were amazed at just how heavy a musket rifle really is! Gives one an even greater appreciation for what those soldiers endured. This particular location had been chosen because the army was close enough to keep pressure on the British troops but far enough to prevent a surprise attack by them.

We headed back to the RV to take the self-guided tour route through the park. Dotted along the route are replicated huts, memorials, monuments, and markers. One of the largest of these is the National Memorial Arch, a very impressive site that was dedicated in 1917 commemorating the “patience and fidelity” of the soldiers who wintered at Valley Forge.

Driving through the Pennsylvania Columns towards Washington’s Headquarters, we passed this imposing statue of Gen. Anthony Wayne who commanded the PA troops. Once reaching the parking lot to Washington’s Headquarters, we discovered that the house was actually situated at the base of the hill where the RV could not go. Russ stayed with the dogs in the coach while I ran part way down the hill to get a couple pictures.

It was time to get back on the road but we’re glad we made this stop to learn a little more about America’s history.