Hello All, now for a timely update from Kansas. First, upon arriving in Emporia, had a wonderful dinner with Aunt Augusta, Uncle Bill, Joyce, and Jim at the Emporia Country Club. I stayed at A. Augusta's place. Aunt Augusta looks really good, up and around, and we had a really good time. Similarly, Uncle Bill looked really good and we also had a good time. Each of them are just over 90. Bill is heading for Washington D.C. to complete an honors flight soon. The two of them are amazing and gives one hope! Joyce is understandably very worried about her husband Craig in Mayo Clinic. Now to Mother. She is clean, neat, and well cared for. I've been there twice so far, and I do not think she knows who I am. She is aware that someone is there who really cares for her and, for example, as I just held her hand today she responded with a faint smile and a little squeeze. She spoke on my Saturday visit to smile and say "thank you", and can express what she needs. I fed her that evening, and she only took about 4 bites of roast beef, similar amount of mashed potatoes with gravy, and a little bit of liquid. They told me that is typical, but her weight is stable at 105. After a couple of visits so far, I still do not know how long her journey will last, but it has clearly begun. Right now it is more mental than physical, in that the signs of withdrawing inward and the separating from this world has begun. She still has one foot in this world, but I feel the other foot is in the next. She has spoken "Aunt Minnie" even last week, my grand-father's sister who died just before I was born. There are other examples. The physical signs of separation from the body are not present. Her breathing is regular, her heart rate is regular, and there is no evidence of skin mottling. I do not need to get too graphic with too much detail, but her physical separation has not yet begun I do not believe. She does not take much in, however, and at the age of 90 yrs and 2 wks, once that happens her journey will be short. I have had a good talk with the hospice staff and we are on the same page: keep this little soul comfortable, do not add meds or increase any dosages. In fact, we will soon discontinue some of them. Right now, however, she is taking her medications without issue and so it is felt we will continue them (mostly) to maintain a status quo. A. Diane and I have been reviewing contents of boxes, old photos, birth certificates from the 1800s, original deeds, records, etc. We have had a long and colorful history in Lyon Co Kansas, and the Dickson name and Marx name is solid. We can be very proud of our ancestors, how they conducted themselves, their lives, their making successful families out the opportunities they were given. Maxine E Marx Dickson was no exception. Love to all, DAD/UR

Help!

It's not like i haven't told the Symmonds boys to stop playing with matches about 60 yrs ago....good grief, I'm now chief water fetcher. The good news they've offered to help me burn my mountain pasture! Like That's going to happen....yeah, that's the house in the back ground.

Kansas journey

Just had a wonderful visit and lunch in Wichita with Judy and David. They live in a beautiful home with a neat little lake in the back yard! Thank you!
Heading up the Kansas Turnpike approaching the Flint Hills. Beautiful.
Good to be nearly home.
Tonight in Emporia!

Update:

Still at the ranch, heading East early tomorrow am.

 Have a plan to fix the leak in the refrigerator that put water all over the floor, prepared the truck for the trip, cleaned the cabin, and all packed up...except for the stuff Lynn hid from me when I left Tucson, like a lot of my clothes, so I forgot them. Luckily she has agreed to send them to A.D./U.R.'s house in Olathe. So Diane, DO NOT return any Packages from Tucson!! Or I won't have any pants...

 Girls: enjoy the wedding cruise: please someone get internet on the ship? I'll write further from Kansas.

 Ken/A.S. , enjoy the East Coast and the Grand-child fix!

 Diane: enjoy the snow/wind/ice. I see your weather! I expect improvement as I head east. And don't return my clothes box sent from Tucson!

 Lynn: Thank you for sending my stuff..let's see what I forget to bring from the cabin.

 And, just found out that for the first time in 9 years I got drawn for a Bull Elk Hunt! I'm not sure which time I get to go but it's for a unit here in Arizona that conveniently includes the ranch! Yay!

Love to all, more from Kansas,

U.R./DAD

Kansas

FYI:
Loaded up, hammer down, taking the diesel to Kansas, via ranch for a couple of days to pack, clean, whatever. Will likely stay for duration.
And,  Everyone who still has a dog in the NCAA fight, Stand Up and show your colors! (not so fast UK..:-(  )
Love, UR, Dad

Wow

Tired, hoarse, win or lose, best basketball game I've ever seen. 5 min to go, tied.

Self explanatory

Smooth flight...so far anyway...! Fun atmosphere!

Update

 Greetings, Now from Tucson;

 To transmit A. Diane's findings from her visit to see Mom today in Topeka...

 A.D. says Mom looks relatively Good, that she looks and even interacts better than she did prior to November!

 Go figure. The nursing staff is keeping her clean and neat, and her room is nice; they told Diane that Mom has been eating some applesauce and ice cream and a bit of things here and there, so I think the report I got late last week might have been a reaction to some exasperation, whatever. So, if A. D. is relaxed and feels good, then I certainly do too.

 So, for my plans, I think I will delay my approach into Kansas a bit, but plan to get there by the week end after her 90th birthday, which of course is March 18th. Then I will stay until mid April sometime so I won't be coming and going so much.

 Ken: I'd consider just keeping with your plans of the 16th or so. I would go then too but I think a month in Kansas would be too long for many many people...but turkey season starts the 9th of April I think.

 So, this is good news. I will still go ahead with the Hospice program; they do interactive visits for people as Mom, not only the terminally ill in the short term. I will arrange for twice a week visits for now, filling in the cracks that the nursing staff at B.P. can't fill, review the meds, etc.  And, we will go on from there.

 Love to all, UR/Dad

ps: A.D., when are the dates of the Colorado Condo in the summer? The 26th of July I believe? If no one else has big plans, or even if someone does and wouldn't mind another couple, I'd love to get up there this summer for once. Any other takers??

Uh oh

OK, i admit it. I am a terrible Grandpa.
Southbound, Camp Verde, heading for Home, starving.
Did a "Yelp" search, found a nice buffet, great reviews, close to I 17.
Got off interstate, starving (did i mention that?), couldn't find it...because of the CASINO LIGHTS.
Of course the "buffet" is deep in the casino, people had to go to the bathroom, so Johnny Rockets hamburger joint it is. Ordered the hamburgers and chocolate shakes, turned around, Noelle's hittin' the slots. Didn't win either.
I'm probably grounded.

Family news

Good morning Dear Ones,

As maybe most of you know, in the midst of all this snowy mountain beauty, Mom/G'Ma is struggling. Here is an update.

Due to just things in general, it was suggested that we as a family now consider hospice care for her. After talking w the staff at Brewster Place, I agree it is time for this step. This does not mean that death is imminent, but deterioration is taking it's toll. We want her to be comfortable.

 I talked with the Hospice company, the same one that helped Dad, and after their interview they agreed that it is time as well. I will get papers signed and set it all up as soon as I get back into printer access, etc.

 The RN I spoke with after her interview described Mom as alert and pleasant with her, but with the dementia much in evidence. Criteria for admission to hospice include life expectancy of 6 months or less, increasing dementia, and on going weight loss; she has all these as she isn't eating much at all. We do not have an answer to the "how long" question, and in fact, some people even rally once hospice care can intervene some, if you know what i mean.

 For my own plans, given what  I gleaned from the nursing staff, I will leave WP no later than Fri, drop off Noelle (though we like each other and she may just come to Tucson..) in Phoenix, then get home and make plans for Kansas. 

 Hope this helps with an update. Please call me anytime or email. Just, Please, don't "reply" to this note. It just goes to an obscure little used email that I rarely check linked to the blog account ( UNCLE KEN)! If you don't have the Direct Email address to publish right here, I will be extremely happy to provide it but I shouldn't publish it here. The advantage is, of course, everyone can see it for a one time communication effort for travel plans, etc, or just family news.

A.D. is en route and can give us her insight once she gets there as well. And,  Ken, your plans of the 16th, don't know what to think! 

Love to All, UR, Dad

Sent from my Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Tablet

Made it!

Snow storm, not bad for March 1.