It's been one of those weekends where everywhere you look you find trouble. It all started Friday when Brenda picked me up so we could go to stew/chili party at Janet's I'm not too nuts about going out at night
anyhow. I am such a creature of comfort, when I get home, I want to kick off my shoes, take out my teeth and
chuck the boob and veg out! Sounds like a plan to me, but sometimes society demands you jump out of your
comfort Zone. If you don't want to be depressed, stop right here.
Anyway, you remember my friend Cliff. He was a teacher at McCaw, now a in special ed and you all met him at my birthday party. He is gay and he and his partner Ron, Who is handicapped ( he was then, but now he is
even worse and is confined to a wheel chair, for various problems, including lung cancer, with Cliff being his
only caregiver. Last week Cliff complained about severe abdominal pain and finally ended up in the ER at
St Rose and then transferred to another campus where he was admitted. The dx was startling, the doctor said
he had cancer and it was terminal with a maximum of months to live and maybe only weeks. They told him to
go home and do whatever he wanted to do. They said it was a packed cancer (silent with no symptoms) and he
had it for a long time. His belly had filled up with fluid which was the cause of his pain. they drained the fluid
which made him feel much better, but also in a state of shock. He figured as did we all that he would go in and
they would fix him up and he would be better. He does have to see a surgeon on Tuesday to talk about removing his gall bladder (which seems like locking the barn after the horse is stolen) but maybe I don't know
all the facts. I am devastated. Cliff is a good friend and a wonderful teacher. His students dearly love him.
They are young and just wont understand.
today I went to church and waited for the comfort I sought--wrong--first song on the organ "how great thou
art" I think I am in trouble. The song after the message "beautiful Savior" which is my confirmation song and
always makes me cry. Hey Lord, what you setting me up for. Well being the power point person, I can slouch
down in my booth and wipe my tears and blow my nose and then WHAMMO just before the general prayer
Pastor David announced the death of a dear sweet lady who attended our service. She and her husb and are
from Wisconsin (near Waukesha where Lori lives) and we could have some lively conversations about our
trips. Kay was never a well person si nce I have known her. Apparently she was an alchoholic at some point
in her life and she suffered a stroke from it. It affected her mind and she was almost childlike. Her husband
had to take care of her, scold her, yell at her and was so good to her. He would guide her with his hand and
make her do the best she could. He loved her a lot and they just celebrated 51 y ears together. She used to
come up and say to me He's being bad and when I get him home I am going to kick his ass. I am going to
miss her.
Please keep all my friends in your prayers, and tomorrow I know, the SUN IS GOING TO SHINE
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Monday, February 16, 2009
A FUNNY THING.................
happened at church yesterday, but
before I get into that, let me answer Dawn's questions from the last blog. Beth was called "betsy" from day one.
In those days Betsy was not a name you used when you were a grown-up, so she was named Beth, to be called
Betsy. When did that change? Probably when she was in school, early on. they did not use nicknames then like they do today. What you registered as is what you were called, and you were registered as you were on your birth certificate. In those days children did not have social security #'s either. Anyway, when teachers,
etc started calling your child "Beth" eventually it just evolves.
anyway, I was sitting at the sound panel, getting ready for services when my friend Tammi came over to say Hi
Tammi and I did church secretary duties for the month of Dec and Jan when we were without a secretary and
'we became friends. We knew each other from services, but I didn't know her name. tammi sings in the choir
so she only comes to our early service maybe once a month. Well, the choir sang yesterday and she came over for a hug and was telling me that Pete"s ( her significant other for 30 years) daughter and grandchildren had come for a visit, so she was glad to come to church. I laughed and said for "peace and quiet" which brought the following anecdote to mind about dad. I shared it with Tammi and now with you
for years one of dad's favorite things to say to friends was Y up, took my wife to Vegas this weekend for
peace and quiet, and all I got was quiet (and all you guys got was "this lousy t shirt ]
Love you all have a great day
before I get into that, let me answer Dawn's questions from the last blog. Beth was called "betsy" from day one.
In those days Betsy was not a name you used when you were a grown-up, so she was named Beth, to be called
Betsy. When did that change? Probably when she was in school, early on. they did not use nicknames then like they do today. What you registered as is what you were called, and you were registered as you were on your birth certificate. In those days children did not have social security #'s either. Anyway, when teachers,
etc started calling your child "Beth" eventually it just evolves.
anyway, I was sitting at the sound panel, getting ready for services when my friend Tammi came over to say Hi
Tammi and I did church secretary duties for the month of Dec and Jan when we were without a secretary and
'we became friends. We knew each other from services, but I didn't know her name. tammi sings in the choir
so she only comes to our early service maybe once a month. Well, the choir sang yesterday and she came over for a hug and was telling me that Pete"s ( her significant other for 30 years) daughter and grandchildren had come for a visit, so she was glad to come to church. I laughed and said for "peace and quiet" which brought the following anecdote to mind about dad. I shared it with Tammi and now with you
for years one of dad's favorite things to say to friends was Y up, took my wife to Vegas this weekend for
peace and quiet, and all I got was quiet (and all you guys got was "this lousy t shirt ]
Love you all have a great day
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
ONCE (pronounced on-key) UPON A TIME
a long, long, long, long, long (oops) time ago, in the land of Beer and Bratz, Feb 3, 19-- dawned
bright and sunny and cold. Wayne got up and went to work as usual, Dodi stayed in bed, knowing a busy day was ahead, soon-to-be big sister Dawn was starting to wake up and Grandma Steffen was visiting, so she could take care of Dawn when mom went to the hospital to
have the new baby. The baby was due 2/4 and the first one was a day late in coming and all seemed quiet on the home front.
All of a sudden, I got the urge to go to the bathroom. What, I can't control it--my water broke. I
had not experienced this with the first baby, so I really wasn't sure. In the meantime my mom
got up and we decided maybe we should call Wayne. Man he had just barely gotten to work, but
was really glad to come home. My first thought, stop at the bakery on your way home for "schnecks" sweet rolls to the non-Wisconsinite. What go to the hospital on an empty stomach--
NOT ME. But the practical me called the doctor and told his service what was happening and
they suggested I go to the hospital. Wayne came home and we had coffee and schnecks and
just sat and chatted. A few pains here and there, but nothing to write home about.
It was at this point I decided that if it were a girl (this was before the days when you could tell
a baby's sex a head of time) we would NOT be calling this baby Heidi Jo, I just couldn't picture
calling a 40 year old woman Heidi (didn't know about the famous Madam at the time), but if
it was a girl we would call her Beth Anne, it had to be a girl, we had no boys name. I wanted
to name a boy Michael, but our friends had just lost their baby to spinal Bifida and his name
was Michael, so I couldn't do that.
Well, several schnecks later (about 11 am) I said, well, I guess we'd better go to the hospital
as I was in serious labor by now, but not hungry. Just as we opened the door, the phone rang
My mother answered it and said hello to Dr. Bernhardt, who said Mrs. Steffen, where the heck
is your daughter. I have been waiting for her. OOPS I whispered, tell him I am on my way.
First thing he said to me was "didn't you know one the water breaks, the baby can come
anytime" Nope, didn't know that. St. Mary's hospital is down by the lake front, and being
in the middle of winter, there was lots of snow and ice, but the su n was shining, and tho it was
cold and icy, it was a beautiful winter day.
You girls probably don't know about this stuff, but in the dark ages when you had a baby you
had to go thru some demoralizing stuff, like having your bottom shaved (oh, those growing pains) and also were given an enema. Think about it, enema cramps combined with labor
pains,
About 3 hours later they decided I was ready for the delivery room, where they gave me gas
and when I woke up I had a new baby, a girl Beth Anne Webb 7 lbs 8 oz (or was it 15) and all was well. Now when they administered the gas it was at the last minute, just before the ap
oh, heck, I cant spell it, but it was just before the incision and the baby comes. They keep you
under until the stitching is done and then that's it. You are not out very long and when you
come to you are tired, but relaxed. Not so my husband he came to see me and fainted dead
away between the beds. I rang for the nurse and she suggested he go get something to eat,
I guess he needed more than schnecks.
Anyhow in t hose days they kept the mom and baby for 5 days. We weren't even allowed out
of bed the first couple of days, but they gave me an exercise board at the foot of the bed, two
planks, about an inch thick and 8 inches wide and the length of the width of the bed, the two
boards were connected by springs and you "walked" this way. Also several times a day they
would come and put a lamp under the sheets, high density , and this was supposted to promote
healing. I don't know if it worked or not, but once I got out of the hospital I was strong and
healthy and rarin' to go.
A day or so after Betsy came into this world, a very very old nun came in and said, I remember
you you were here about a year and a half ago, and you had a baby girl then, too. I don't remember her name, but she was retired and her main job was visiting the patients. I know
she could have read that in my charts, but it made me feel good anyhow. That catholic hospital
was such a caring facility, and they didn't even care if I was a Lutheran.
H APPY BIRHTDAY BETH
bright and sunny and cold. Wayne got up and went to work as usual, Dodi stayed in bed, knowing a busy day was ahead, soon-to-be big sister Dawn was starting to wake up and Grandma Steffen was visiting, so she could take care of Dawn when mom went to the hospital to
have the new baby. The baby was due 2/4 and the first one was a day late in coming and all seemed quiet on the home front.
All of a sudden, I got the urge to go to the bathroom. What, I can't control it--my water broke. I
had not experienced this with the first baby, so I really wasn't sure. In the meantime my mom
got up and we decided maybe we should call Wayne. Man he had just barely gotten to work, but
was really glad to come home. My first thought, stop at the bakery on your way home for "schnecks" sweet rolls to the non-Wisconsinite. What go to the hospital on an empty stomach--
NOT ME. But the practical me called the doctor and told his service what was happening and
they suggested I go to the hospital. Wayne came home and we had coffee and schnecks and
just sat and chatted. A few pains here and there, but nothing to write home about.
It was at this point I decided that if it were a girl (this was before the days when you could tell
a baby's sex a head of time) we would NOT be calling this baby Heidi Jo, I just couldn't picture
calling a 40 year old woman Heidi (didn't know about the famous Madam at the time), but if
it was a girl we would call her Beth Anne, it had to be a girl, we had no boys name. I wanted
to name a boy Michael, but our friends had just lost their baby to spinal Bifida and his name
was Michael, so I couldn't do that.
Well, several schnecks later (about 11 am) I said, well, I guess we'd better go to the hospital
as I was in serious labor by now, but not hungry. Just as we opened the door, the phone rang
My mother answered it and said hello to Dr. Bernhardt, who said Mrs. Steffen, where the heck
is your daughter. I have been waiting for her. OOPS I whispered, tell him I am on my way.
First thing he said to me was "didn't you know one the water breaks, the baby can come
anytime" Nope, didn't know that. St. Mary's hospital is down by the lake front, and being
in the middle of winter, there was lots of snow and ice, but the su n was shining, and tho it was
cold and icy, it was a beautiful winter day.
You girls probably don't know about this stuff, but in the dark ages when you had a baby you
had to go thru some demoralizing stuff, like having your bottom shaved (oh, those growing pains) and also were given an enema. Think about it, enema cramps combined with labor
pains,
About 3 hours later they decided I was ready for the delivery room, where they gave me gas
and when I woke up I had a new baby, a girl Beth Anne Webb 7 lbs 8 oz (or was it 15) and all was well. Now when they administered the gas it was at the last minute, just before the ap
oh, heck, I cant spell it, but it was just before the incision and the baby comes. They keep you
under until the stitching is done and then that's it. You are not out very long and when you
come to you are tired, but relaxed. Not so my husband he came to see me and fainted dead
away between the beds. I rang for the nurse and she suggested he go get something to eat,
I guess he needed more than schnecks.
Anyhow in t hose days they kept the mom and baby for 5 days. We weren't even allowed out
of bed the first couple of days, but they gave me an exercise board at the foot of the bed, two
planks, about an inch thick and 8 inches wide and the length of the width of the bed, the two
boards were connected by springs and you "walked" this way. Also several times a day they
would come and put a lamp under the sheets, high density , and this was supposted to promote
healing. I don't know if it worked or not, but once I got out of the hospital I was strong and
healthy and rarin' to go.
A day or so after Betsy came into this world, a very very old nun came in and said, I remember
you you were here about a year and a half ago, and you had a baby girl then, too. I don't remember her name, but she was retired and her main job was visiting the patients. I know
she could have read that in my charts, but it made me feel good anyhow. That catholic hospital
was such a caring facility, and they didn't even care if I was a Lutheran.
H APPY BIRHTDAY BETH
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