August is almost over!

What a month!

We found Ruby Rose is super allergic to dogs and cats.  Their yellow lab, Molly will have to be adopted out, and they are all very sad, Eric raised her from a puppy and loves her very much. News yesterday is that Molly has found a new home in Quakertown, PA with a couple that helps to train service dogs.  They have been looking for a yellow lab, a few years old, for their household to love.  Sounds like a perfect match for Molly, and Julie, Eric and Ruby will be taking Molly 1/2 way to PA and meeting this couple along the route.

Of course, most of you also know Ruby's problems started with her trip to the hospital in early July, while Adele & I were there. Severe Asthma attack and she was turning blue when we got her to the emergency room. Immediately the ER staff got working on her, up to 6 people at one time, and got her admitted and treated quickly. Three days later she got home and we had a great visit. Her allergy tests on Aug 2nd showed a sever allergy to dogs & cats. We will need to send Bathory to 'Bobbie Camp' whenever they come and visit from now on.

Eric's mom, Cathy has been taking chemo, and will for the foreseeable future, but now they found nodules in her spine and brain.  They started radiation the next day on both areas, and hope to see some shrinkage.  The finding of the nodules cancelled Cathy & Pete's trip to see their grand daughter Ruby Rose in August, and now they hope to be able to travel in Sept some time.

Of course, when it rains, it pours.

In June, my father fell while rushing to get altar flowers on June 12 or 19th, and he skinned off a patch of skin so large that we needed to get to the emergency room and get it fixed.  Ephrata Community Hospital did that, with derma bond glue.  He had gashed his arm and nose, with the arm being the worst looking.  Then a few days after that, while enjoying a weekend lunch at a friend's house in Mt Gretna, he was so dizzy and weak he could not walk without support. Mom took him to the Doctor's office and they told her to go to the emergency room with him. She called me (very upset) and asked if I could help get him there, thankfully I heard the phone (the Vette is loud) and was able to help her.  That trip culminated with him getting a pace maker, his heartbeat was around 44 when we got him to LGH.  After three days or so, he went back to Luther Acres and their apartment.

Soon after that we traveled to GA and fun with Ruby, in the hospital and at her home.  Ruby started coughing and having problems breathing Thursday night July 7th, and Adele & Julie took her to the emergency room at 5AM.  See above for rest of story.

On arrival back home, Dad again needed to get to the hospital, this time via ambulance.  I picked up Mom and found Dad at the emergency room with her.  Lower GI bleeding, which he has suffered every 4-5 years over the past 20 years or so, got him so weak, he need a transfusion.  His hemoglobin levels were low and kept bouncing around.  Again (like so many other lower GI trips to hospitals) they found nothing, and sent him home once everything stabilized.  This time they also sent a mini walker / seat on wheels, that he can use to steady himself and rest if he needs to.  He is doing great and about ready to ditch the mini walker any day now.

Of course all the while Cathy's problems are on our minds, and Adele's 6 month checkup is on her mind.  Adele will get a CAT scan next week, and see the doctor around the 6th of Sept. for the results, which I know will be good.  The thought of getting the CAT scan, a week before she thought she needed it, threw her off so much yesterday, I thought we were back and in the "The Cancer is back again" stage from 2 years ago.  She loves that the doctor's visits are 6 month apart, but she then starts worrying about the results as soon as she know the testing will start again.

Prayers for Ruby Rose, Julie and Eric Barna - Asthma and loss of a great friend Molly.
Prayers for Dick & Elly Stauffer - Strength and Understanding
Prayers for Cathy & Pete Barna - Strength, Healing and Understanding
Prayers for Adele - Strength to keep positive through this next 2 weeks.

And of course - Prayers that Congress will see fit to Do Something - Anthing - other than stonewall each other.