ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter Z

I am grateful for "Z"oos. I love going to the zoo. I think it is great that animals no longer capable of living and surviving in their natural habitats are given the chance to live. I think it is fun to be able to see animals I would probably not get the opportunity to otherwise see. We all went to the zoo this year on Brooklyn's birthday and had a great time. I have wonderful memories of visiting the zoo.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter Y

I am thankful for all of "Y"ou my friends and family. I realize there probably aren't that many people who read my blog but I am grateful for those of you who do. In reality I probably blog more for me than you, but it is nice of you to read what I write. I'm having a hard time putting my feelings into words lately. If tears counted there would be pages for you to read. It's hard when you know you are hurting someone you love. I'm having a hard time not feeling selfish for needing to focus on my self. Thank you for your love and support. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter X

I am thankful for "X"-Rays. Because of x-rays the doctor was able to determine my knees could be fixed with physical therapy rather than having them operated on again. Modern medical technology is amazing. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter W

I am thankful for my Grandma and Grandpa "W"right. I grew up living next door to my grandparents and it was a blessing. My Grandpa died when I was 10. It was devastating to lose someone who I saw everyday and was such a big part of my life. I'm glad we lived next to Grandma and were able to help her and keep her company for the 20 years she lived without him. It was like having a second Mom. I have to admit we didn't always see eye to eye and she wasn't afraid of telling me or anyone else what she thought. I sure loved her anyway.

I am grateful for the opportunity we had to take care of her the last few years of her life. It really brought Susan and our families together and helped us form the closeness and love we have for each other today. My grandparents taught me the importance of service and helping others. They were both great examples of that. They both lived what they taught and that was a great lesson for me. It's easy to talk the talk but walking the walk is harder to do. But they did that in every aspect of their lives.

I think about what advice my Grandma Ila would have for me today and I cry. I know she would be my biggest supporter. I would get her life is hard lecture, but it would be accompanied by total love, support, and compassion. Boy do I miss them. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter V

I am grateful for "V"acations. I always look forward to vacations from work and every day life. It's not that I don't like working or my life. I feel I give my employer all of me when I am there and that I do what I do well. I just know myself and that I need to take opportunities to recharge and refocus and time away helps me do that. I already talked the other day on here about my love for traveling and I think this is a part of that. I take every chance I get to step away from my every day life and decompress and I think I am a better employee and person because of that.

ARUP really emphasized the importance of a work/life balance and I can see the importance of that. I don't think it is healthy to become too focused on your work. If you work full-time then you already spend more time at work than doing anything else in your life. So when you get the chance, take a step back and don't feel guilty for doing so. When we die it is our family we take with us not what we have accomplished at work. If I had the money I would be taking advantage of time off next week and would be enjoying a much needed vacation. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter U

I am thankful I get to live in "U"tah and in particular Cache Valley. I love where I live. I have visited a lot of other places but am always glad to come home. What other state has such diverse climates and scenery? We have everything from desert and red rock to mountains and valleys. I do have to admit the cold is getting to me more this year than it has other years. I don't know if it's that I'm getting older, the arthritis that has developed in my knees making me more sensitive, or what. I haven't been warm at work at all this week. I'm going to have to break down and take in a heater. I'm just afraid of blowing a fuse. That would be embarrassing. 

I do have to admit that those who have always said Cache Valley is much colder than Salt Lake are right. I never thought it was that big of a difference until I lived down there for a couple of years. I can now say with certainty that there is about a 10 degree difference. I have learned the last two years that this girl is a country girl through and through. I am grateful to live in this beautiful valley and am blessed that so many of my family like living here too.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter T

Today I am thankful for the opportunities I get to "T"ravel. I love to see new sites and explore other places. In 2002 we went on an Alaskan cruise and it was amazing. The scenery was breathtaking and we had so much fun. In 2008 we went to Mexico and camped on the beach. Again breathtaking and amazing, but a totally different experience from Alaska. I hope in the future my circumstances enable me to see many more new and exciting places. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter S

I am thankful for my aunt "S"usan. Susan is my Mom's sister. While I was growing up Mom tended Susan's kids while she taught school at Wellsville Elementary so we have always spent a lot of time together. Susan is like a second Mom. She always has good advice. I really miss her and Craig since they moved to China. Things aren't the same without them around. They will be home on the 12th and we are all very excited. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter R

I am thankful for "R"ecipes. Sometimes I enjoy cooking and I am grateful I have recipes to follow and don't have to figure out how to make things taste good by myself. That is not a talent I have. I am a good cook and baker as long as I have a good recipe to follow. One of the perks of living with Marijka is if I buy the ingredients and find the recipe she will usually make it.

Here is the link to my current favorite recipe. It is delicious and perfect for this time of year.  

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/savory-stuffed-pumpkin

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter P

I am thankful for my mom "P"aula. She is the best mom in the world. I know she is always there for me. A couple of weeks ago when Kyle and I first split up she spent the week with me in Salt Lake. She was there to dry my tears, hug me, hold me up, give me a shoulder to cry on, tuck me in bed, and help me find somewhere to live. She has helped me move so many times in the last month we have lost track. I moved out of my temporary digs in Salt Lake yesterday and I am so glad to be home and know I am here for awhile. My life has been so up in the air the last few months it is good to feel a little settled. I start my new job on Tuesday. Mom makes me feel so welcome and loved.  I love her more than words can say. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter O

I am thankful for "O"rthopedic doctors. Several years ago my knees were injured in a car accident. As a result I now have arthritis in both of them. My right knee is the worse. Lately it has been giving me a lot of trouble. Lots of pain and problems walking. I have calcification on my quadriceps tendon and a small bone spur. I start physical therapy tomorrow. I'm hoping they can help manage the pain. Dr. Willick is pretty sure I won't need surgery after the physical therapy. Let's hope he is right.

Grrr!

For some reason my last 2 posts have completely disappeared. I'll rewrite them when I'm not so tired and can think clearly.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter N

I am thankful for "N"aps. I would kill to be able to take a good nap right now, but I'm not sleeping and unfortunately that seems to include naps. I can't shut my mind off. It just runs in a thousand different directions all the time. It is very frustrating to say the least. 

There is nothing better than a Sunday afternoon nap. You don't have to feel guilty about the stuff you should be doing, because it's Sunday.  I think they are my favorite thing ever.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter M

Today I am thankful for the M&M's, my little sisters Marlee and Marijka. I'm thankful for their patience when I constantly call them by each others name instead of their own. I'm thankful for their love and support. I'm thankful for their willingness to help me out when I need it. I'm so grateful to have them in my family. They each bring their own unique personalities to our family mix and life wouldn't be nearly as entertaining without them in it.I'm grateful for Marlee's sense of humor and for Marijka's strength. This Saturday will be like the 6th time they have helped me either pack up or move stuff from one place to the other in the last couple of months and they are still willing to help. That says a lot. I wouldn't have made it through the last month or two without them and my Mom. So today and always I am thankful for my little sisters.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter L

Today I am thankful for "L"ily. LIly is my shiatsu. She is a funny dog. When I first got her she had a thing about men and now she is permanently attached to Kyle and loves my Dad. She has a hearing problem so when I call her I have to pitch my voice really high so she can hear me. Lily hates the texture of grass. In the summer she will pee on the cement if I don't watch her. She is fine with snow and will go out on the lawn all winter, but as soon as the grass comes back she is done with that. 

She generally doesn't like to snuggle at night but every once in awhile she will sleep right up next to my head. I don't know if she has a bad day or what the deal is.  I left her with Kyle because I felt he needed her love right now, but Hydee wants her out of the house so I guess I will be taking her with me on Saturday. I feel really bad for Kyle. I know how much he loves and is attached to her. It is going to break his heart.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter K

It has been 2 1/2 weeks since Kyle and I separated. It is so hard. I miss him and yet at the same time it's as if a weight has been lifted off of me. I am grateful for "K"yle. I'm grateful for the love he has given me for the past 4 years. I'm grateful for the compassion and patience he has taught me. I'm grateful for the big heart he has. I'm grateful for the man is he is and hope he knows no matter what happens I will always love him.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter J

Today I am thankful for "J"analee. I have a headache since last night that has been increasing in intensity all day. She brought me some Tylenol over tonight and I couldn't be more grateful for it.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter I

I am thankful for "I"maginations. I love to see the things the kids in my life come up with. Princesses,  Super Mario, Jim Clark, dragons, Minnie Mouse. The possibilities are endless when you have an imagination. I wish I still had the imagination to come up with great ideas like they do. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter H

 

Heading Out For A Ride

I am thankful for "H"orses. Horses are beautiful animals and I love watching them. My favorite are palominos. I think their coloring is  beautiful. The Man From Snowy River is one of my favorite movies due to the horses. There isn't anything better for relieving stress than a horse ride in October through the fall leaves in the mountains on a warm sunny day. Since I was young I have loved getting up to deer camp in hopes of fitting in a horse ride. I always rode Duchess and was so sad when she died. Unfortunately I haven't made it the last two years. Maybe now that I am moving back to the promised land I will be able to get in a ride next year.

Horses and my cousin Brian have also caused me to be ridiculed frequently over the years. When I was young and thought Brian was the expert on all things he told me horses never lie down so if they do they are sick or dying. I of course believed him and passed on my knowledge to my siblings. This resulted in me being teased to this day. If I am in their presence and we see a horse lying down the teasing immediately starts about how it must be dead. It's a good thing I love my family.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter G

I am thankful for my "G"irlfriends. I have great friends. The kind of friends that you can go months without talking to and then when you connect it is as if you haven't even been apart. You can pick up right where you left off and it's great. Low maintenance friendships are the best.

They are there for me when I need them and I love them all.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter F

I am thankful for my "F"amily. Those I was born with and those I have adopted along the way. My family have gotten me through many challenges in my life. It is a great comfort to know they are always there for me. I am so fortunate to be so close to my aunt Susan's family as well. They are a great support. I am so grateful that they share their kids with me. They bring such joy to my life. I love those kids and would do anything for them.

I am so excited to be moving back to Wellsville. I feel I have missed out on so much by living in Salt Lake the last two years. I haven't been to a "cousin party" in forever. I miss them.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter E

Today I am thankful for "E"ditors. Most of you probably don't know that I work with a team of editors. It is what they do for ARUP and they do a fabulous job. I love this team and the support they have given me over the past 2 years. 

I have taken a new job in Logan as a bookkeeper for Aquamira Technologies and will be moving back to Logan. My last day here at ARUP is next Friday. I am going to miss my coworkers so much. When I got this job 2 years ago it was an answer to my prayers. Having Greg Kratz as my supervisor was a direct gift from my Heavenly Father to me.  Greg is probably the most compassionate person I know. As I have dealt with my trials over the past 2 years he has been there every step of the way. He has never made me feel guilty or asked anything of me that I couldn't give and I thank him for that. He is the best supervisor in the world. He meets with each of us every 2 weeks and gives us feedback, asks our opinion, and encourages us to better ourselves. For me this has been incredibly helpful.

I am going to miss all of the people I work with. They all add something different to my life. I also know that it is time to move on and things are falling into place for that to happen. 

If I just had an editor to edit my blog posts think how much better they would read.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter D

I am thankful for my Dad. I can't even count the number of things he does for me all the time. I had pretty much the worst week ever last week and he made mashed potatoes and gravy for dinner yesterday and I know it was just for me. And when I got to their place Thursday night he even had chocolate milk in the fridge.

On my last day at the Cache School District we were carpooling. When I picked him up he told me to go to Smith's.  He came out with chocolate milk and dessert and we sat in the car and ate it while I cried. He said we were "wollowing" in my sorrow, but then we were going to have to pick it up and move on.

He calls me Kamster and if I'm sitting in the recliner when he comes in the front door I can count on my hair being messed up as he walks by and ruffles it with his hand. He is 110% supportive of me and my decisions. I can count on his total support. He is always willing to give me a blessing to help me through my current crisis (of which there have been way too many the last few years).

I love his quirky sense of humor. You never know what he might come up with next. I appreciate and love my Dad so much and am so very grateful for him and the wonderful influence he is in my life.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter C

For the letter "C" I am grateful for children. The world would be so boring without them. For the last 2 years Kyle and I have lived in a neighborhood where everyone was either older or single with no children. The feeling is just different. When you go outside it is quiet and there is no noise. 

In the new neighborhood his parents moved to you go outside and hear kids playing. The sound of bikes and skateboards. The sounds of life. 

Kyle and I haven't been able to have a baby and it is a void in my life. I am so grateful for the wonderful women in my life who share their children with me. They bring me so much joy. Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is a wonderful blessing. 

 

My parents had their annual Halloween party Friday night and the kids had a blast. Besides the favorite homemade root beer making we tried something new. Marlee and Janalee mixed warm water, dawn dish soap and dry ice and it made an awesome fountain of bubbles. The kids loved it and it was really cool. When you popped the bubble it would release a cool vapor. We all love it.

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter B

For letter the letter "B" I am going with beds. I am so grateful to have something soft to sleep on. I think it's something most of us take for granted until we go camping or if circumstances force us to wonder where we are going to lay our head at night.

I see all those who have run onto hard times and are living on the streets or in a car and I am overcome with gratitude for the blessings I have. 

ABC's of Thanksgiving: Letter A

I am going to take this idea and use it for my blog instead of Facebook. I'll do my best to keep up with it everyday, but who knows.

So for the letter "A". There are lots of things I could do with this letter, but I'm going to go with ARUP. This is the company I work for. This job came along when I needed it and was an answer to many prayers. 

The people I work with are the salt of the earth. They have gotten me through the last 2 years. They are here for me everyday. Their smiling faces and positive attitudes are a balm to my soul. They are kind and compassionate and go out of their way to let me know they care.

The health clinic here has been a great thing for Kyle. The staff works so hard to keep him on track with his health and goals. The benefits here are really good and have helped us a lot.

My Memories Software

I hope you all were able to get your free My Memories software downloaded by yesterday and are enjoying it. It's a great software and I'm sure you will enjoy using it. http://www.mymemories.com/

FREE My Memories Digital Scrapbooking Software

 

You may recall some months ago I did a couple of different giveaways for a free download of My Memories software. They have contacted me and are allowing me to give away unlimited free downloads of My Memories software for one week, starting today, Monday, October 21, 2013. I really enjoy using the My Memories software for my digital scrapbooking as it is easy to use and the pages are very cute. I even overheard my Mom, who is slightly technically challenged say that the program is easy to use.

You can get the software by visiting: http://www.mymemories.com/digital_scrapbooking_software. Select the download option and add to cart. Then enter the promo code: FreeTreatOW156 (you may want to cut & paste the code) in the promo code area BEFORE checking out. The code is good October 21st to October 28th.

Here is a 14 page album I made using the My Memories software. This was made using the elements that come within the software. You can also use your other digital elements, papers, etc. as well

Best of all it's FREE!  Make sure you download it by the 28th.

 

Is Thank You Too Much To Ask?

This may be random but I’m wondering what happened to the courtesy of sending a thank you card when you receive a gift from someone. I was taught when you receive a gift for graduation, a wedding, if someone gives you money to help you go on a school trip, etc. you send a thank you card to acknowledge the kindness. It really doesn’t seem too much to ask. When Kyle and I got married we received a gift of 2 blankets. We were never able to figure out who gave them to us. I still feel bad that whoever it was didn't get a thank you card from us. I didn’t receive one thank you note for the graduation gifts I gave last year. I receive them for only a small fraction of the wedding or shower gifts I give. I don’t expect them for birthdays, as I don’t do that myself even though I probably should. It seems to me if I am going to take the time, effort, and money to acknowledge a friends special day or accomplishment then they should be able to take the time to thank me. Heck, I’d even take a text. Any acknowledgement that they received the gift would be nice. I’m going to start sending checks in the mail instead of cash just so I know if the check is cashed that they received the gift. I’m really close to deciding if I don’t get a thank you note the first time they won’t be receiving a gift from me in the future. Thanks for letting me vent. I will get off of my soap box now.

A Really Weird Nightmare

Last Thursday morning at 3:20 a.m. our dog Button was acting hyper, and woke me up so I got up, and went to the bathroom. I got back in bed but Kyle was snoring loudly and Button was still jumping on me so I decided to try to get Kyle to roll over and quit snoring in hopes Button would decide she should play with him instead. When I touched Kyle’s shoulder, he was very clammy. I was shaking him hard, but couldn’t get him to respond. I turned on the light and when I said his name his eyes would open a little, but he wasn’t consciously there. His body was very stiff. I ran and got Hydee and we decided to call 911. They told me to get him on his back but he was so stiff we couldn’t move him. While we were waiting for the paramedics, he started foaming at the mouth. It’s a good thing I am able to stay calm in emergencies. If I had the tendency to panic I would gone completely nuts. I've always been grateful to be able to live near Don and Hydee, but never more so than that night.

When the paramedics got here, they immediately checked his blood sugar and it was 26. His sugars had been running high due to his having a stomach bug, so I was shocked it was so low. They started an IV and put a bunch of Glucagon in it. Then we all stood around and watched Kyle wake up into what he described as a “really weird nightmare”. I can’t really imagine what it would be like to have four paramedics, your wife, and mother all standing around your bed watching your every move. A blood sugar that low usually results in cardia arrest. His pacemaker may have gone off, but with him being unconscious, we don’t know. They asked Hydee to make him a peanut butter sandwich and she got some juice. Two of the paramedics stayed until he ate the sandwich and his blood sugar was in the 200 range. They were good to stay until they felt he was going to be okay. They said if we would feel more comfortable we could take him to the hospital, but they weren't sure what else they would do for him there. I felt good about that decision.

While he was eating his sandwich, I looked at his meter and at 12:30 that night, his level was 165. So in 3 hours it totally bottomed out which was very worrisome. The paramedic told me to get another sandwich into him and not let him go back to sleep until he was in the mid 300’s so if it dropped that quickly again we wouldn’t have a repeat. He was so weak Don had to help him out to the chair so we could change the sheets. He was sweating so badly the sheets were soaked. I checked his levels every few hours for a day or two.

The whole thing exhausted him and he slept the majority of the day. I didn’t let him out of my sight and had several conversations with the different member of Kyle's medical team about how to manage his insulin until he gets feeling better.

A Walk for Hope

The Huntington’s Disease Team Hope Walk was yesterday, the 21^st. We had a good turn out and had a good time. After things wrapped up at the park, we adjourned to Zupa’s for lunch and conversation. It was a lot of fun to spend some time with family we don't get to see nearly often enough.

Participants from Team Maughan were Me, Kyle, Mom, Dad, Marlee, Tom, Marijka, Susan, Ted, MaryAnn, Kim, Ellie, June, Jessica, Josh, Jenny, Preston, Garrett, Brooke, and Alexa. For our first year, I was thrilled with the support we received. Our team raised almost $300 and donated a BYU themed Scentsy basked to the bucket raffle. Thank you to all of you who helped us out. Now we know what to expect we can do more for next year. So keep in mind what you could make or donate for the silent auction or bucket raffle.

Kyle's Health Update

We saw another doctor yesterday about Kyle’s feet. He agrees with us that we want to put off surgery as long as possible. With Kyle’s health problems, there is a big risk of infection and a chance he won’t heal. Right now, the Charcot Arthropathy is very active in both of Kyle’s feet. The bones are breaking down. The x-rays were unbelievable. All the bones that connect his toes to the rest of his foot have crumbled on the left foot. They have partially crumbled in the right foot. The bones that keep the foot straight have collapsed on the left foot. We suspected that because his foot is bowing downward in the middle. I can’t believe Kyle doesn’t complain more. He has to be in constant pain.

The plan for right now is to try to get his feet stabilized. This means protecting Kyle’s feet from the outside so the bones can fuse. Therefore, Kyle is going back in the crow boot on his left foot as soon as we can get a new one made. He will also need to wear a walking boot on his right foot. The doctor wants Kyle in a wheelchair instead of walking. It was hard when he told Kyle he was giving him a prescription for a permanent wheelchair because he doesn’t see Kyle not needing it in the future. The worst thing for Kyle is this means no more working for a while. This will be great for our finances as well. 

Dr. Morgan wants us to go see a different doctor who can work better with our insurance because there may be surgery down the road. I guess our insurance doesn’t like the hospitals he works at. It happens to be the same doctor we already have an appointment with for another opinion so that worked out well. 

On another issue Kyle’s dermatologist removed a mole a month or so ago and it tested positive for Melanoma. So, on Monday she had to take out more, a lot more. Kyle now has a 2-inch (no exaggeration) incision along the top of his back. The skin she removed will be tested and then we will know if they need to do anything else. She thinks removing it will be all that needs done to take care of it. Let’s hope she is right.

9-11

Twelve years ago on September 11, I took the day off work to celebrate my 26th birthday. I was looking forward to sleeping in. Instead, I woke up to Janalee running into my bedroom yelling that we were under attack. It took me a few minutes to realize she wasn’t talking about us personally. She turned my television on just in time for us to watch the second plane hit the world trade center. I spent the rest of the day glued to the television watching the horrible images that filled the screen. It was so unreal.

That night my family and friends gathered in my front room for my “birthday party.” There wasn’t much celebrating as we all watched the television and prayed together for the victims. My birthday has never really been the same since then. I have a hard time feeling like celebrating on a day I know thousands of people’s lives were shattered. It was a horrible day. 

My birthday this year was thankfully very uneventful. I got home from work at 9:30 last night after a very long day. I sat in a conference all day and had a work dinner last night. Kyle had 2 dozen gorgeous red roses waiting for me, which was sweet. My awesome visiting teacher Michelle had been by and left me a bouquet of mixed flowers. I also had numerous texts and Facebook posts during the day from my family and friends. It was a nice calm day.

Leaves Are Changing Color

As September begins and the kids are back in school, the nights begin to get a tiny bit cooler and my thoughts turn to fall. I anxiously watch as the leaves begin to change. I wait to feel a morning chill in the air, and this morning it was there. It is my favorite time of the year.

Things I love about fall:

• Soft, cozy sweatshirts and comfy jeans 
• Thick warm socks and boots
• Hot chocolate 
• The chill in the air 
• UEA with the ladies 
• Deer camp 
• Horse riding in the mountains
• Walking through the crunchy leaves
• Carving pumpkins 
• Chili and cinnamon rolls 
• Lighting the fireplace 
• Cuddling under a pile of blankets 
• Watching the leaves change color
• Nice smelling Scentsy bars
• Caramel apples 
• Halloween 
• Warm apple cider 
• Thanksgiving

Grandpa LaMar

Yellowstone when I was 3 years old.

It's weird how reading certain things will bring back a long buried memory. Today I was reading on a blog about a little girl who collected rocks and suddenly as clear as could be I could picture my Grandpa LaMar's hand rubbing his worry rock. He had small smooth rock that he would rub. He told me it was his worry rock. I can't remember why but I assume that he rubbed it when he was worrying about something.

That memory led to a flood of others as I remember him rocking me in the rocking chair in our front room. I remember going to visit him at the liquor store where he was the manager and going up to his office. It was on a raised area in the middle of the store so he could keep an eye on what was going on down in the store below; then riding with him to drop off the deposit in the night drop at the bank.

I can clearly see him in my mind sitting in the recliner at his and Grandma's house. It was the last place I saw him before he died. A little while before he passed away Mom had to come get me from school because I was sick. Grandpa had come over to watch the kids so she could come and get me. I remember him pulling me onto his lap and rocking me in the rocking chair. He told me the best place to be when you are sick is at home.

He had a dry sense of humor. A few days before he died we were watching TV. A commercial come on and it announced, “The news has come out! There is a new bra!” Never taking his eyes from the TV and sounding completely serious Grandpa said, “That’s the greatest news I’ve heard in 60 years.” We laughed so hard.

I was only 10 when he died. It was way too soon to lose him. I don't think I realized it until today, but my Mom was only 31 when she lost him. I am 37 and I can't even imagine how hard it would be to lose one of my parents.

Team Maughan Walks for Hope

Team Maughan is participating in the Huntington's Disease Team Hope Walk on Saturday, September 21st. 

Fighting for a cure for Huntington's Disease is very dear and near to my heart. My Mom's cousin, Kathy, is fighting this devastating disease right now. She was diagnosed with having the Huntington's gene several years ago. At that time, it was a new disease that we had never heard of. Our whole family was devastated. 

My Mom and Kathy are double cousins and since if a parent has the disease then your child has a 50/50 percent chance of having it, we knew it could be in our family too. Kathy's mom and dad and my Mom's mom and dad have all passed away so we had no way of having any testing to know which side it came from. Susan remembered going with her Grandma Maughan up to visit her mom and remembered her just sitting in the dark with jerking movements, which we now assume was part of this disease, and so we decided it probably came through the Maughan side. We later learned that my Mom's cousin, Ronald Maughan, had the disease also. He just recently passed away because of it. So it was confirmed that it came from the Maughan side. 

Mom and my aunt have both been tested and their results came back negative. We don't think Grandma Ila showed the symptoms of the disease. Kathy's daughter, Jenny, took her into her home and provided her a safe and loving place to live for several years until just a few months ago when Kathy started falling and it was decided that she needed to have constant care. She is now living in the BeeHive Home in Logan where she has a beautiful room and they take great care of her.

Kathy is now having the jerking movements, choking, and trouble walking. It was explained to me once that Huntington's is a combination of Alheimer's, Parkinson's Disease and MS. All I know is it is a horrible disease that is eating away at Mom's cousin. She is constantly losing weight because of the choking and not being able to eat and I think she is also afraid to eat because of choking. Every time I see her, she has lost more weight and her clothes are hanging on her, even though Jenny tries to keep her in stylish clothes. 

If you are able, please donate to this important cause, any amount you can give would be appreciated. We need to make people aware of Huntington's disease and find the means to study and find some answers and in the end find a cure. We would also love to have you join our team if you can. Thank you for your help! 

Donate or Join Team Maughan: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/teammaughan

Please don't hesitate to spread the word and contact me for a flyer you can pass around.

IF YOU OWN OR KNOW OF A BUSINESS OR ORGANIZATION WHO WOULD LIKE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE A SPONSOR PLEASE LEAVE A COMMENT AND I'LL GET IN TOUCH WITH YOU. 

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Inherently Lonely

I have a huge family and except for a few times in my youth when I would have given anything to make them all disappear, I wouldn’t have it any other way. If my immediate family can’t help me I have aunts, uncles, cousins, and all kinds of friends we have adopted into our family who would be there for me in a heartbeat. It’s an amazing feeling to know you have that kind of support system.

I imagine that because I have the wonderful family I do that’s why it makes it hard for me to comprehend what it would be like to have no family at all. We have a friend who for many, many years hasn’t had any family. That is hard for me to fathom. However, I guess if two only children with little family marry and have children who never marry and one of the children dies young then the surviving child would literally have no family, just as he does. Imagine not having one living relative. There are probably more people than I think who don’t have a family. Literally not having a family is different from choosing to distance yourself or break away from your family though. At least then, you know they are out there.

I would think that it would be very lonely to know that you are the only one of your family left. I imagine there were times when he was very lonely, but he never let it show around us. I watched as an amazing man created a family of his own. He has several “children”, “grandchildren”, and “great-grandchildren” who couldn’t have loved him more if they had been related by blood. He has formed relationships with people who love him as if he was their own flesh and blood.

My family has taught me that blood doesn’t matter. We officially in Marijka’s case, and unofficially in lots of cases adopt people into our family all the time. My parents have taught me that generosity is never ending. Therefore, if you or someone you know is looking for or in need of some unconditional love and acceptance just send them our way I’m sure my parents we will be happy to bring them into the Anderson fold.

How lucky am I to have been shown by two wonderful parents that kindness, service, and generosity are things that you should freely give. What wonderful examples they have always been and continue to be to me. I am very fortunate to be surrounded by people who care about me.