Tuesday, July 9, 2024

June - The Beginning of Summer 2024




Was there stuff this month? There was a lot of stuff this month. 

June 1 - Jurassic Classic Live Model Horse show - check it out HERE!! 

June 2 -Ceramics - I went to a ceramics class at the Y - we did vases.


I kept forgetting to go pick it up. And so I can't show you how it turned out, because they only keep stuff for 14 days before destroying it and I couldn't get back to it in time ๐Ÿ˜•

I was planning on doing a Tie Dye class, a Postcard making class, and a soap class but had to cancel on those, so didn't do any other classes for the month at the Y. 

June 6 - I had a DEI training at work for LGBTQ - it was a great session and I am really happy I was able to attend. 







June 11 - I was up and to work by 6:30 am. my department (CRO) and the Group Sales and Marketing Departments did a trip to Snow Mountain Ranch from the Estes Park Center. I rode over with Micala, Ashley, and Angie.

We went through RMNP and it was beautiful. SMR was really lovely all day, and the ride home was great too. (so was being paid for 12 hours ๐Ÿ˜€ )







We talked to other departments and then did a program - which was the tubing hill. I was excited until I saw it, then I was terrified. I wasn't going to do it but I was already on the tube and committed and I screamed the first hill but the rest was okay. I didn't realize how scared I was until I went to do it and then I conquered that fear. 





One of the neat accommodations that SMR has is a YURT. This is half-way between camping and a hotel room. I had never seen one until now and I think I would like to stay one, even though I would have to walk up to the bathroom area. 









Then we toured the property. There are a lot of beautiful areas at Snow Mountain Ranch. 







On Tuesday, June 11, my mom went into the hospital with kidney issues. It's been a roller coaster of time trying to figure out how to get back there, when I can get back there, and how to afford it. Finding out what I can about treatment options and where she would go if she's not able to go home. It's not easy. 

My creativity hasn't been much right now. I did go on a hike on the 22nd of June to try to reconnect with nature. 















On June 24, my mom had a stroke and I drove back on June 25 to be with her at the hospital in Kansas. It was the hottest day of the year for Kansas - 95 degrees with like 90-95% humidity. It was a brutal drive. I made it to Topeka, before I had to stop due to heat exhaustion. 

On June 25, I took my old red truck that I had driven back to her new owner. It 
was the end of an era - 23 years of ownership and I let her go to a young man that has a lot of great plans for her. The Old Red Bitch is now living in Missouri and starting a new life. It was a great ride girl, thanks for the memories.


A friend of mine took me to my motel first, then the hospital. I have to say, I was surprised at my mother's condition. I was told on the phone that she was transported to KU Med to have surgery because she was a candidate and was not told she was air flighted until I got there. This was not a mild stroke they could have done surgery for to remove the clot, this was a catastrophic stroke. They had forced a feeding tube in her and had her hand wrapped to keep her from trying to pull it out. 

I spoke to her doctors and made the decision to take out the feeding tube and put her on hospice care. It took about 24 hours from hospice to come and agree that she would need hospice care. Then we had to wait for a bed to open up. All of mom's nurses were great at KU Med until the Saturday shift when mom was to be moved to KC Hospice House. That shift of nurses was NOT good. 

AMR Ambulance transport team was amazing and the KC Hospice House was an absolute GEM of a place. Kind and Caring and AMAZING. 

I had to fly back to Colorado on June 30 to take care of some issues that could be done from afar and flew back to Kansas on July 1. My cousins Tina and Teri drove from California on June 30 and made it to mom early on July 1. 

The three of us stayed by mom's side until she passed on July 4, 2024 at 5:45 am Central time. 

I have to say that June was not what I expected or hoped for and I learned who my true friends were and those that would walk away after 40 years of friendship. 




























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