| Author | Message | ||
     Denisea |
Thank you! MaBueller will be looking forward to seeing the mail cart coming around every day.  | ||
| Daves |
Jerry and D Just opened this thread and I am very sorry to hear the bad news about Ma. I'll get something in the mail tomorrow. Hang in there! Dave | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Dave, muchas gracias amigo. Although this is awful news, we've all had enough time to get past the initial horror and tears to get on with the business of dealing with Mom's day-to-day issues and helping her live the rest of her life to its fullest. Really, that's about all we can do at this point. Her mental acuity, although still relatively intact, has deteriorated enough that she can't do the internet thing anymore, but getting stuff in the snail sure perks her up. Thanks again. FB  My brother Doug taking Mom for a spin through the Rose Garden at the hospice center. | ||
| 86129squids |
Still got the priorities straight, I see... Always take time to smell the roses! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Always take time to smell the roses! +1,000,000. That's a lesson MaB taught me at an early age.   | ||
| 86129squids |
Absolutely gorgeous. Both your mother, and the roses. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thank you. Beauty comes in many forms. Mom spent much of her life helping people...  ...yet another gift she passed on to us kids. FB | ||
| 86129squids |
OMG- despite me following the threads about your Ma, didn't know she had been in nursing... My sis works as a chaplain in the Little Rock Baptist Hospital system, is currently jumping through the hoops to become chaplain coordinator/teacher/mentor for the whole dang thing. She's my sis- I've never been able to understand how she gets through ONE day of work- but she does God's work daily, has done so for years. Apparently, so has Ma Bueller. AWESOME. | ||
| Court |
Well . . . Ma will know that we're ALL getting older . . . I snagged a handful of post cards in Times Square today. Took'em back . . . tossed'em on my desk and made a "must do" reminder. I wrote one, dug through the drawer and found stamps and got'er ready. Courtsheimers is insidious. I looked everywhere for the damn thing and couldn't find it. So I wrote another . . . re-dug through the drawer . . Then as I'm leaving a pick up the blueprints on the desk and there it is! I laughed as the two cards said darn near the same thing . . . I started to decide which one I liked the best . . . Then I figured . . Ma's smarter than I . . let her decide and tossed'em both in the box. We're setting off cross country tomorrow and I'm going to try to send he a bit of a "flavor of the road" series . . What a gal . . what a life! Court | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks fellas, much appreciated. Mom sent out a short e-mail to family (and friends) last night: "hi family, This is me!!!!!!! Thank you for all the cards and well wishes. love, me"  photo by Sis Sue I know this was incredibly difficult for Mom to do, but it proves she is still connected electronically to the outside world. Which means...you can send her a note via e-mail! If you're so inclined, please PM me your note with "MaB" or "Ma Bueller" or something like that in the subject line, and I'll make sure that it gets to her in-box pronto. Thank you. FB | ||
| Court |
Jerry: Please let her know that "connected", and she many not realize this, probably means to a couple thousand folks in a number of different countries. Let her know that she's an inspiration and her spirit is a light for all of us. Very cool stuff. . . . nothing quite as amazing as a life well lived. Court | ||
| Prior |
Great pictures! I baked up a few batches of cookies last night and will be dropping a box off to Bremerton and one to Fancy Pants at lunch time today. Good to see Ma's still connected- can't beat that! Definitely an inspiration, and it's been cool to be a part of yet another adventure Prior | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks fellas. I can tell from the look on Ma's face that composing the e-mail was hard for her, but it's so cool that she didn't quit. Here's part of an e-mail I got from my brother Doug last night (sent from Mom's e-mail addy, so I'm assuming they tried to get her on again last night but she probably didn't quite have it in her): "I'm on Mom's computer at the Hospice Center sending you her love and thanks. She received a couple of packages today. Thank you again for the cards, letters and packages. We likely have set a new Hospice record for mail and visitors." Very cool. Thank you BadWeB. FB | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
 Happy days: MaB at the Farmer's Market in Silverdale, Washington, USA in early June, one of three "field trips" I was able to take her on while her health would still allow such adventures. | ||
| Court |
I'd wager each day is an adventure for someone with a mind so acute, surrounded by so much love.. | ||
| Prior |
Great smile, great photo. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks again, fellas. I journeyed out to Washington and spent some time with Mom just after her diagnosis - I wanted to be with her while she was still "Mom," if you catch my drift. I inherited her passion for adventure, and I hoped that I might be able to ferret out some adventure for her while I was out there, something within the scope of her capabilities. The stars and planets aligned on three occasions, and although our adventures together were modest in scope, they were unforgettable nonetheless. Mom has a way with people, and part of the fun of hanging with her is seeing her interact with folks, often complete strangers, who usually in a matter of minutes become fast friends. FB  At the world-famous Sluys Bakery in Poulsbo, Washington. We stopped to pick up some equally famous "Poulsbo Bread," I told the gal behind the counter an abbreviated version of Mom's story, and asked if she'd mind coming outside for a second and posing for a photo with Mom for posterity. This pic is the wonderful result.  This is Mom and Annie, a checker at the Fred Meyer in East Bremerton, Washington. Over the years Mom and Annie have become friends at the checkout counter. Annie, I quickly discovered, is very good people. We held up the line for this photo, although everyone was enjoying the vibe and seemed not to mind. A moment later Mom shared "the news" with Annie, who broke down in tears and had to have another employee take over her post. Several days later Annie came to the house and spent a beautiful hour visiting with Mom.  This is Mom and Darlene, the hospice nurse who came to the house three times a week to help Mom with her bathing and hygiene (this before Mom was admitted to in-patient hospice). Mom is fresh out of the shower here, and feeling great. Darlene would often hang around long after her "chores" were done and simply visit with Mom, yakking about this and that. They both very much enjoyed each other's company. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Good morning all - I got a phone call from Sis Sue over the weekend, wanting me to express her thanks and gratitude to the BadWeB family for the tons of mail Ma Bueller has gotten from all y'all. On behalf of Sue, MaB, and the rest of our family... ...THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Sis Sue and MaB, out for an afternoon stroll | ||
| Moxnix |
Another selection of bike photos going out today. Jerry, you and your siblings are a fortunate bunch. God bless Ma Bueller. | ||
| 86129squids |
Jerry- let me know what Ma and your folks think about those magazines I sentcha... I always enjoy reading local rags from faraway places when I get a chance to... Looks like Ma's got a nice place there! LOVIN' the roses! | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks fellas, VERY much appreciated.  Mom and Doug catching some much-needed zzzzzzzzzz's. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Looks like Ma's got a nice place there! LOVIN' the roses!   | ||
| Moxnix |
Ma, I mailed off another envelope full of bike and world travel photos. Yes, I'm so vain, but had nothing else to offer except for snapshots of me and mine and where the times took us. Bless you Mel, you are in our hearts and prayers. | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Thanks Moxnix - Mom loves stuff like that.   FB taking Mom for a hot lap around the hospice center - look Ma, no hands! | ||
| Moxnix |
Sidecar rentals in Bremerton? Ma Bueller looks like she would be right at home! | ||
| Ishai |
FB- just an Idea here.If you want to explore the idea of a sidecar trip with you mom- try contacting mr. cobb on advrider - he is mr ural and he is in Washington- no idea how close or far he is from the hospice but I think he will help...or come to think of it if you post there I am sure you will get fast results. Also I think the importer for Ural is in Washington.... | ||
| Moxnix |
Even just around the parking lot.  | ||
| Mtjm2 |
My thoughts exactly Max. Or a trike in the area !  | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
That'd be fun. I've got a lot of hack experience, but Mom really struggles with pain issues and I think the jostling around would make it impossible. That said, I know she's still got the burn for adventure. FB | ||
| Jerry_haughton |
Here's an example of her pain situation: This was back in early June, not long after her diagnosis, when she was a LOT more robust than she is now. We had run up to Poulsbo in my truck, and stopped at the Post Office to check the mail. I left the truck running because it was a relatively hot day and wanted to keep the A/C on for Mom while I was inside. When I came out the truck was off (and the inside of the cab was pretty toasty). I asked Mom what was up, and she said the vibration of the engine idling (keep in mind this is a brand-new pickup) was causing her significant pain through the seat belt, so she turned the engine off, even knowing she'd have to deal with the heat. Even wheeling her around in her wheelchair is problematic, as any little bump is excruciating for her. Great ideas, and I appreciate the enthusiasm, but probably not doable. Thanks guys. FB |
