Cataracts!!!

I am scheduled for cataract surgery on Friday, March 13 for the right eye. The surgery will be done at St. Mark's Medical Center in Salt Lake City. The left eye will be done 2 weeks later on the 27th of March. It is outpatient surgery and won't take very long. I will be recouping at home for two days. I will not be able to bend over or rub my eyes. Will have to use an antibiotic eyedrop, an antinflamatory eyedrop and a steriod eyedrop four times a day for at least a week. Probably will have to wear dark glasses in the bright sun for awhile. After it is all over, I will only need reading glasses.

I am in the process of building a 3.5 foot by 6 foot lean-to green house. I am making it out of 2x2s and covered with chip board and corrigated clear plastic. The snow damaged the fence surrounding the chicken run and needs to be fixed, too.

I plan to build a permanent chicken coop instead of the portable ones that I am using now. I am hoping to finish these projects before March 13.

Love to all, Dad

My situation

I don't know how effective this blog is in getting important information out to everybody. I thought I would use it as a starting point, though.

On Monday evening I was having some abdominal discomfort. Kind of like cramps I guess. I got online to see if I could learn anything, and some site indicated that it was a very common complaint for pregnant people, and it may or may not be something serious. So I tried to sleep it off, but the next morning, I was not feeling any better. I decided that just to be on the safe side I should call my OB, which I did. They got me in later that day, and they were concerned. My cervix is a little open on one end, and it is not as long as they wanted it to be. 2.5 cm is considered the bare minimum for acceptability, and mine measured 2.3 cm. So they had me admitted to the hospital immediately for 23 hours of observation.

The high risk OB came in for a consult, and ultrasound, and he measured my cervix at 2.6 cm. So better, but not really ideal, and it was open a little anyway, which apparently is not a good thing.

Long story short(er), They sent me home on Wednesday morning with very strict orders to go to and stay in bed. They imposed some pretty strict limitations on my activity. I am allowed to get up and go to the bathroom, and I can take a 5 minute shower. That's it. No house cleaning (that broke my heart), no laundry, no food preparation, no picking up Rachel, not even sitting up, no piano lessons. They want me to go back to my doctor every week to see how my cervix is doing. If it stays the same, they may ease some of the restrictions, but I doubt they will tell me to go back to 100% normal activity anytime soon.

They told me that I could not go on my planned trip to Utah, so if you were holding your breath, waiting anxiously to see me, sorry. You're out of luck this time.

In case you're jealous of me, let me tell you that strict bed rest is not all that it is cracked up to be.

The good news is that Rachel signed "mama" and said "ma" when she saw me this morning. She doesn't do that. She signs "daddy" and says "da" all the time, but that was a first for mama. Maybe she has said/done it when I'm not around before, but it was rather gratifying.

I have a request

One of my favorite things about this blog is when birthdays come around. Then we get pictures and stories about the birthday person. I love learning more about my aunts and uncles, and I feel like I'm gaining a new perspective on my Bateman roots. Thank you very much to all who contribute. Although I don't usually comment, I always read the posts and enjoy them.

So here is my request. In addition to telling stories about your siblings and parents when their birthdays come up, will you help me get to know my cousins (your children, step-children, children-in-law), better by telling stories and posting pictures when it is their birthdays also? I'm not asking for their life story, just a story from their life, and a picture or two.

For my part, I will post about my children, and I will bug my mom to post about each of hers too!

Thank you and I look forward to many enjoyable posts!

On this day in 1984...

...Gayla passed from death into life. I, for one, miss her terribly. But I believe she is where God wants her to be, and for a reason. Mom has recorded, and I often heard her speak, about how she did not want a fourth baby. She was already overwhelmed with the care of Faline, Lamona and me. But the Holy Spirit convicted her, telling her that there was a very special spirit waiting to be welcomed into our home.

And Gayla was special. Through the hardship and pain of severe health problems, and through other heartaches that God only knows all about, she persevered, in innocence, in loving and forgiving, and in trying to overcome, somehow, the trials with which she was so sorely afflicted.
Shortly after receiving her patriarchal blessing she shared with me one of the things that it said, that she would be the savior of her family. I didn't want to think about the implications of this at the time, but deep down I had an idea of what it meant. Even though she had been at death's door so many times, she always came back, and I came to expect that death would be defeated until I was ready to let her go. But it didn't happen the way I thought it should.

She was an angel. Her singing voice was evidence of this. I have never heard another voice like hers, and don't expect that I ever will. Her soprano tones could not be described in worldly terms, such as "lyric" or "coloratura". They were nothing less than angelic, not meant to be exploited by earthly ears. They were destined, apparently, to be part of an angel choir.
There was one song in particular that Faline, Lamona, Gayla and I used to sing, words written by Alfred Lord Tennyson (somebody correct me if I'm wrong) that, when I think of it, I can still hear Gayla's glorious descant, ascending as if to heaven:

"Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace;
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy!
Oh, divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek
To be consoled as to console,
To be understood as to understand,
To be loved as to love,
For it is in giving that we receive;
It is in pardoning, that we are pardoned;
It is in dying that we are born to eternal life!

If only we could all take to heart the message of this song--that without Gayla's help we would not have been able to sing half so beautifully--and learn to cling daily to the Inspirer of the author of these words, our sister will not have died in vain.

It's a . . .

GIRL!!!!!

This is Noelle, by the way.

Happy Belated Birthday Ladawn!

I know I have usually been very good about posting pictures of our siblings on this blog for their birthdays. Unfortunately I have been held up for the past two days so I was not able to post a picture of Ladawn on Tuesday. Why? you ask. Well, that is a very interesting story that you can read about on my blog very soon. We need to eat dinner first. Suffice it to say that I am forty(ish), female, and fair, and if you want to know more, go to my blog!

Anyway, here is a picture of our very lovely sister Ladawn. I hope you had a fantastic birthday! I love you!

Many Happy Returns to My Birthday Present

For her birthday this year and every year, Ladawn deserves a medal of honor, just for surviving. She had more hurdles to clear than any of the rest of us, right from the start. First, she was born two months early, and second, she suffered the loss of her sister of the womb. Then she had to stay in the Saginaw hospital all by her lonesome, not being able to be visited all that much by Mom and Dad who were all the way out in Merrill, Michigan, meeting the demands of family and the farm.

She was given to me for a birthday present because she came home from the hospital on my birthday, almost a month after she was born. With three sisters at home it was rare, if it ever happened, that I got to go all by myself with Mom and Dad in the car to anywhere. The trip to the hospital in Saginaw, to pick up Ladawn, may have been the first time. I was only five, so I didn't understand much when Mom explained to me that there had been two babies, but now there was only one. I've never thought, until just lately, that perhaps it would be in order to offer my condolences to Ladawn, as well as birthday wishes. It makes me cry now to think that I could have had two birthday presents, but one is not here.

When we got home, Mom gave her to me, first, to hold her. She was my only present that year. She was so tiny and looked so fragile, and I was so afraid that I would break her, that I gave her right back. It occurs to me now that she might have taken offense at that. I'm sorry Ladawn. If I had it to do over again, I would sit down on the couch and hold you, and hold you, and hold you.
Now I know why you have so fervently insisted on hugging me whenever I see you. I think you are determined to make me make it up to you. Someday I will.

Have a happy birthday!

Love,
Teddie

More Memories

Launi

Even though I never knew Launi in this life, I still feel a closeness with her. Mom told me the story one time about how a friend of ours painted a picture of Launi. Mom had the picture hanging on the wall and even though I was very young, I saw the picture and knew who she was. I can't wait to meet her and everyone else that has passed on and be reunited as a family!

I have another story to tell that happened recently that is unrelated, but I feel impressed to share it. I have a pair of Mom's church shoes that I inherited from her after she passed away. I wear them very occassionly (like once a year). A couple of months ago, I was wearing them and was downstairs in my bathroom getting ready for church. Joseph (my 1 year old at the time), came into the bathroom, looked at my shoes and said "Gramma's shoes". I started crying because I know that he sees and understands things that I don't. That experience made me feel and know that Mom is close by.

More Memories of my Family

Memories of Ladawn

I remember always thinking she was fun and pretty. She had the status amongst the younger sisters one time of being our favorite sister.

I remember when she got hit by a car. Mom and Dad gathered us together to tell us and we knelt down in a circle and prayed for her as a family. The spirit was strong and I remember having a peaceful feeling. Tears come to my eyes when I think of that time--it is something I will never forget.

I remember when she got married and going to her reception and eating ice cream.

I remember one time when her and Wayne came to our house to visit. Luella and Noelle expecially would remember this about me--how I loved to share a bed with someone. Ladawn and Wayne were sleeping on a foldout couch, which was the equivalent size of a twin bed. Every night that they were there, I would squeeze in between them and sleep with them (Each night, I did it in my sleep, so I had no recollection of actually climbing in bed with them--I woke up in the morning and there I was!) They didn't seem to mind (Did you?).

Ladawn is very talented when it comes to sewing and I remember a doll that she made for me. She sewed the face, the belly button and the bum, making it look somewhat realistic. It could wear newborn diapers and she made a dress for "her". I loved that doll!

She made me several dresses that I wore for a long time--many of which I wore on my mission and wore them out!

I used to think that she had such a pretty voice and I wanted to sing just like her.

I remember thinking that she had really cool and unique handwriting. ( I still think that!)

I remember when she came for surprise visits--they were happy, fun times. I remember feeling sad when she left. (See picture--don't be alarmed at the sight of the face in the middle!)

When they lived in England, Holly and I went to visit them. I was there on my birthday and she brought me breakfast in bed--a stack of doughnuts with candles on it!

When I lived with her and Wayne and their family for a little while, I remember her making the yummiest homemade wheat bread. We would get a slice while it was still hot, spread it with mayo, and put slices of tomato on it, then salt & pepper it. It was so yummy and I still make it! (Only I don't have Ladawn's yummy recipe--I had to find one of my own.)

I remember some yummy oatmeal butterscotch cookies she made frequently. Sometimes I would even sneak and get some out of her freezer. (sorry Ladawn! :)

I am thankful for the happy memories I have of Ladawn. I love her and hope she has a very Happy Birthday!!