Doctor Reports

OK, folks, it's official...I'm crazy...no, not really....the neurologist said I have something called Post Traumatic Headache Syndrome. Yes, it is real. Google it and read about it if you want. In short, people who have migraines and get a lick on the head like I got tend to have migraines more frequently and severely for 3-6 months after the head trauma and I have had a headache nearly everyday since then. He suggested that I take off 3-6 months and do nothing to allow my brian time to heal.

The psychologist told me to take at least 3 months to heal emotionally so that's what I'm going to do. Keith, the clinic director has been kind enough to find someone to take my cases for me (except for one that I want to keep) and at the end of 3 months, we will reevaluate the situation. Dr. Clement wants to see me weekly for a few weeks. I have to go back to Dr. Landy (the neurologist) in May for a recheck. We'll see what happens from here!

Easter

Easter in Searcy was wonderful as usual, but we did miss the James clan (but we didn't feel sorry for them...Mike and Beth are in Florence, Italy). Vivian and I stayed at their house anyway and we got to see Jon. All my friends in Searcy told me to go to the neurologist and get my head checked out...they all say I'm not the same as I was before the crack in my head...I really don't know if it's the crack in my head or all the other stuff I've been through in the last few months but I am going to see the neurologist tomorrow and the psychologist on Thursday so we'll see what they can come up with...I dropped my class today so that's one less thing on my plate....I might decide by the next time it's offered to take it again but right now, my brain needs a rest!

Supervision

Today is the first day since Sunday that I had to get out of bed early in the morning....had to get up to go to supervision. Tim is in Colorado skiing with Joe, Cathy, his sister, and Noah, his nephew. I love sleeping until I wake up without an alarm! It's been a great week!

Time to Remember Happy Times

This is a photo of Mama at Christmas a couple of years ago. She loved that dress with the snowmen on it. She was really happy when she was with her family and a photo of Mama and Bill. Her funeral was a week ago today. She really looked beautiful and peaceful in death. Her service was a real celebration of her life and I know it went long- probably too long for some but we children loved every minute of it. Tim lead the singing, Mama did love to sing. Several people asked him afterwards if it was a requirement to be able to sing to be a member of the Church of Christ. The singing was beautiful. She would have loved it. Of course, that's how we grew up...we never had a family gathering that didn't end in a singing. Mama and all her brothers and sisters could sing.
Paul Sparks talked about Mama's involvement in the Indianola church. He even said that if she had been a man, he would have made her an elder. The preacher from Corinth spoke also and then came the best part. People from the audience were invited to get up and say anything they wanted to say about her. My cousin, Joy, said she was Mama's favorite; however, there was some discussion about that later. Actually, I think she made every grandchild and niece and nephew feel special and worked hard not to show favorites to any of them. Mama made every child that came through the doors of our house feel special. And lots of kids did come through the doors of our house. Cousins from the city spent weeks with us in the summer (we spend weeks with them in the city, too), kids from church spent every Sunday afternoon with us. One of Robin's friends told a story at the funeral about shooting a hole in the ceiling with Robin's new shotgun...mama and daddy were so relieved that no one was hurt they didn't even get in trouble...Dale said that was the day he learned that Tracy Skelton (my dad) could be a tenor instead of a bass!
When we were talking to the preacher about our remembrances of her, Diana told him that she taught us to be good submissive wives, but it didn't take on me! We did also talk about how Mama had a revolving door at her house and so do Tim and I. She fed every visiting preacher whether they were Church of Christ preachers or from the Church of God down the road and we often kept their families at our house during the gospel meetings. Tim and I have guys from Harding grad school at our house quite often for short courses or over night during the semester when they drive in for one class a week. She set a great example of hospitality to us all!
Joy pointed out several sayings that Mama regularly said especially this one, " You scream, I scream, We all scream for ice cream!" We all quoted it with her just like Mama quoted scriptures in church with the preacher (not that it is in any way a scripture)...but is it any wonder that I love ice cream?
Thanks to all of you who came to show your love and support especially to our out of town friends and to all who have sent cards, e-mails and notes! It is such a blessing to have friends like you!

My dear sweet mama went home to be with the Lord yesterday, Friday, February 29, 2008 at 2:00 pm. While it was very hard to let her go, it was an answer to our prayers. Since Papa Mutt died in December, it seems that Mama had lost her will to live. She wouldn't eat, didn't sleep hardly at all, was in pain a great deal of the time, and just seemed lost in general with out Papa Mutt to ground her. These photos were taken this summer at a cousin's reunion. In the first one, Mama fell asleep sitting up which is what she did most of the time since Papa Mutt died. The other is of Mama with her brother, Tom and sister, Des.
This last week of her life was unbearable for her. She had been in the hospital with pneumonia, a kidney stone in each kidney, bloating in her stomach, congestive heart failure and several other medical things wrong with her that I didn't understand, but she died with all her family around her and all of us singing hymns - she loved to sing and had the most beautiful voice until the end when she couldn't talk anymore...the only time she seemed alive since Papa Mutt died was when she was in church singing or at the nursing home singing with different groups who would come in to sing with the residents and she knew every word of every song and she sang out with that beautiful, clear soprano voice. When the preacher quoted a scripture, she quoted it right along with him and when he asked a question, she answered it right out loud! She did love the Lord and I am so grateful that she taught me to love Him, too. I was talking today with my sister and brothers about how we had a "drug" problem when we were kids...Mama drug us to church every time the doors were open and to gospel meetings and singings every where in the Mississippi Delta and usually by herself because Daddy didn't become a Christian until I was in college.

You know, I know she's singing with the angels and she is not hurting anymore and that is exactly what we prayed for and we told her while she was laying in that hospital bed that she could go and that we would be OK....and we will be, but the moment she took that last breath, I wanted to take it all back...only I don't want her back the way she was but the way I knew her when I was growing up...always singing and with a smile on her face, taking care of us and taking care of our friends and others...Yep, God does answer prayers and sometimes He gives you exactly what you ask for and when you get it, you're not always ready for it! What fickle humans we are!