Best gift

By Alicia

We did a video chat with mom this evening. She did say hi and at the end she said "I love you, Alicia".
Best ever gift.

Merry Christmas.

Reading

Not sure why the text didn't show up with the picture that I posted-but here are the words that go with the "reading" picture:)

Mom has a new "reader". I hope she doesn't mind. Lauren could be in there for hours reading:)

We have had a few good days. Mom was able to eat real food! She requested a panini for lunch and ate chicken cordon bleu, roasted potatoes and green beans for dinner!

Thank you for all the Christmas cards!
Sent from my iPhone

Reading

By Sheelagh

Update

By Sheelagh

Sorry it has been so long since I have updated. Finals week is over!! Yay!

Not much has changed with mom. She has a hard time with solid foods so she rarely eats anything harder to "chew" than oatmeal and scrambled eggs and even those she chews for forever--so most of her meals are drinkable.

I was feeding her the other night and I said "I have never seen anyone chew eggs as much as you!" And she laughed (laughing for her these days is her belly shaking) it was good to see that she is still able to understand us.
She talks even less now and rarely answers anything.

I still read her emails to her. Thank you all so much for not forgetting about her and for sending emails still.

Sent from my iPhone

Thanksgiving

By Graham

Beth and I actually had the time off and were able to go down to Sheelagh's for Thanksgiving and Lauren's birthday. We took mom an early Christmas present in the form of a handmade blown-glass ornament. Obviously we HAD to make a hat out of the tissue paper. While verbal communication is little to none, she sat there for several minutes tracing the sections of red with her finger and I think she really liked the ornament. 

Sheelagh organized a wonderful dinner (we supplied the mashed potatoes) and everyone was in need of stretchy pants. And the next day we partied even more with the celebration of my niece's birthday. 

Pictures from the Cruise

By Mike

I guess I'm a little surprised this hasn't been done already, but as many of you may know, in August this year, about 6 months after Charlotte's surgery and about 2 months after she was done with chemo and radiation treatments, Charlotte paid for her entire family to go on a cruise to Alaska.  We have a ton of pictures and some very neat memories.  Here are only a few of those pictures.

At this time, Charlotte was strong enough to stand and walk a little.  She enjoyed the food on the ship, although it didn't always stay down.  She didn't talk much, but you could converse with her.  She got to go whale watching and grandkid watching at the various ports-o-call.

Now, she is not able to stand any more and she does not converse hardly at all.  For everyone, especially her kids, this is the hardest part.  She is with us, but not really.

Enjoying some of the ship cuisine

Standing at a overlook in Skagway AK

Grandkid Watching by the river delta at Skagway

Looking at the sculpture near the port in Ketchikan AK

Admiring some totems in the clan house at the Totem Bight in Ketchikan

The family pic, taken the morning of the last day on the boat

Wheat Amongst the Tares

By Mike

Here is a picture I snapped of the basement. Alicia and the kids are in the middle of sorting through a box of loose papers. There was plenty of sorting like this looking for photos, journal entries, and other important papers mixed with old bills, newspaper articles, and advertisements. Just as Superman can fly, Alicia has near super powers when sorting. Most of the time, we just stood back and clapped as she amazed us with her sorting prowess.

There is yet plenty to do, but Alicia sorted through an amazing amount.