Our little munchkin, Rebecca (c. 2004)
I’m not usually big on “Awareness” Days, but I make an exception for this one, because it celebrates some very special people. The date that was picked (3/21) is no accident – on this date, we celebrate those wonderful people who have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome. Life in a family with a DS member is a whirlwind adventure!
I tried to find this version of “Danny Boy” (Garrett Morris, SNL, 03/18/78), but it’s behind a paywall at Hulu…
One of the reasons that I love Saint Patrick’s Day is because it gives me an excuse to listen to one of my all-time favorite songs, “Danny Boy“.
If there were ever any doubt about my ancestry (I’ve got some “Kelly” and “Carroll” in my family tree), the way that this tune makes me feel like I’ve “come home” puts that to rest – there is no denying that music from the British Isles is the kind of music that stirs my soul.
In putting this post together, I listened to a LOT of different versions of the song, and I ran across one that surprised me. You see, I’ve only ever known Bob McGrath as a performer on “Sesame Street” – I didn’t have a CLUE that he had such an amazing voice!
When I heard this version, I knew that I had found “the one”:
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They started Mom on managed morphine last night – she receives a small dose every 4 hours. This is what she would want; she is tired, and ready for this journey to be over.
I sit vigil by her bedside, listening for any signs of distress. She was able to say “Hi” to Paul and Rebecca when they called this morning.
When she has to be moved (to prevent bedsores), I stroke her beautiful face and she says, “I love you”.
I tell her, “I love you, too”.
I don’t know how much longer we will be able to say that to each other – she keeps slipping further out of this world, into the next one.
I miss her already.
Yes, I’m a geek – I bought this for Rachel several years ago.
She’s a geek, too – she loved it….
(Okay, I bought myself one as well – couldn’t be letting her have all the fun!)
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It wouldn’t be Pi day without a recipe to fill that cool Pi plate, so here is my absolute, all-time favorite pie recipe, courtesy of my dear, sweet mother-in-law (you will definitely want to double it, because it is just that good!):
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Buttermilk Pie
(Makes 1 pie)
1 C. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Flour
3 Egg Yolks ***
2 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1 tsp. Lemon Extract
2 C. Buttermilk
1 pie crust
Mix all ingredients together and pour into an unbaked pie shell.
Bake at 350 degrees until firm (approximately 45 – 50 minutes).
Easy AND delicious – does it get any better than that?
Bon Appetit!
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*** The original recipe calls for meringue on top – I assume that the egg whites were held in reserve to make it. Other recipes for Buttermilk Pie that I have seen call for the entire egg to be used in the filling. While I have not tried this personally, I would imagine including the whole egg would not be a problem – this recipe is a little “runnier” than most; adding the egg whites would probably help firm the filling up a bit.
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Mom is sleeping most of the time. She is in pain whenever she is moved, and we have noticed more swelling in her body.
Hospice came by today and is going to start her on a maintenance dosage of morphine. They will start crushing her pills, as she is now having difficulty swallowing.
Her speech is very slurred; she doesn’t understand why she is still here.
We think that she is now in the Transition phase of this process.
So now we wait.
Rebecca is home for Spring Break. I am not there, because I am in North Carolina with my mom, who is in hospice. Rebecca and Paul were supposed to come up here this weekend, but Dad requested that they not come, due to the current Coronavirus scare.
A few days ago, we were able to do FaceTime between my mom and Paul and Rebecca using my nephew’s phone and Michelle’s old iPhone. We all have Android phones, and couldn’t figure out how to make that work, but then I remembered that I still had that phone plugged in at home, so Paul took it out and used it.
About 1:30 this afternoon, I hear the home doorbell go off on my phone (we have a home security system, and they have a phone app). I looked at my phone screen, and there is a whole EMS crew entering my house, complete with a stretcher! I freak out, and call the house. Meanwhile, I notice a text that says, “Mom” was sent to my phone from MICHELLE’S phone at 1:20 pm.
Rebecca must have wanted to see/talk to me today, so she went and got Michelle’s phone, and when she couldn’t figure out how to get in touch with me, she called 911 to help find me instead.
Poor Sarah didn’t know what was going on – a fireman opened up her bedroom door….
We finally got everything figured out – the EMTs left, and Michelle’s phone is now safely tucked away in Sarah’s room until I get back home in another couple of weeks.
Oh, well – just another day at the Koch’s house!
Mom woke up at 11 last night and said that there was a change in the milk and that I needed to tell them about it (her father drove a milk truck when she was very young).
She woke up this morning and said that she knows this is the end and she just wanted to see my nephew (who got in town last night) and Dad.
Both of them have been here all day. Mike has an iPhone, so we were able to let Mom do FaceTime with her middle sister and BIL, Paul and Rebecca, and Rachel and her husband. Her youngest sister was here this weekend.
She complained of a new pain in her torso twice today, so she has been on medication all day. Hospice has stronger drugs already on board, if we need them.
All of the “boxes” have been checked. I’m just standing watch now.
Tonight about 8:15, my mother woke up from a deep sleep and called someone on the phone, telling him, “Don’t let those people take your money from you.”
I had ear buds in, watching a movie on my Kindle, heard her, and at first thought she was talking to my dad, since they had been joking about widows on the prowl.
Nope.
She had dialed up Paul, and was just chatting him up.
I guess I’m going to have to take her phone away from her after it gets dark….
Today is my Dad’s 88th birthday. I can’t tell you how very glad I am that he is still here to celebrate with us – Paul lost his father a few years ago, and it is a loss that he feels every day.
The Fat Lady Has Sung
Koch's Tour 