social life

At the center of my new social life is the nursing home. We are family, in a very very strange way. At any rate-one can't help but laugh. One day there was a new man at the front couch-he had a white sketch pad and a black pen-on the pad was the most amazing collage of work-like a Bev Dolittle work, a thousand lines, all making tiny scenes of every imaginable thing. There were lions, bears, faces, fairies, sea shells all incorporated in what looked at first glance like doodling. I was fascinated and stopped for a visit. He explained to me in a very east coast accent that he was once the head layout designer for a magazine publisher. He couldn't remember why he came to Wyoming, but he did try to tell me his story. I grabbed what bits and pieces I could and couldn't wait to hear the next chapter. Upon my return the next day I brought him a huge package of pens, all colors. He was sitting in "his spot" (the residents are very territorial)-pen in hand. I gave him the package of pens to which he replied he just wanted one-dark blue, brown or black. Okay. I opened the package up and gave him one(I should have known that more than one would confuse the issue)-my mistake. Then he sadly exclaimed that he had lost his pad. Rats! I made a mental note to get him a new pad and upon my next return he had found his pad and pen and had nearly finished his work. I noticed a date at the bottom, May 13, 2008. He was very sick, coughing and saying that there was a terrible burning when he coughed, I hope he gets better and can tell me more of his story. What an amazing bit of his mind he has left-where did the rest of his mind go-and how did he get here?

Missed a party that I had been looking forward to for so long-a send off party for Tianna Redman. The make a wish foundation is sending her and the family to Disney World in Orlando. Tianna and her family are among my personal heroes and I had the invitation out on the table for two weeks, r s v p'd last week and polished my shoes. Last night I took off to the party at 5:30-no party at Tony's Pizza, went to the Pizza Hut-only one person there-I didn't ask. Called the family on the cell and Tom said he thought it was the 30th. OHMYGOSH! All dressed up and nowhere to go I went to the SHoshoni Rose Casino. My second mistake. Eventually I looked around at the other souls there and decided that they didn't look any richer that I did, and came home. First thing I grabbed the invitation-the party was at the Pizza Hut last night at 7:00. My clock said 8:00-the neighbors probably heard me cuss-and worst of all-I am the only one to blame. Where is my mind-and when will it come back? So right things from the casino-I mowed my lawn today. Been going to find a helper but I am ashamed of spending my helper money at the casino so I bit the bullet and did it. The mower is so good-fired right off after a little care. The lawn is miserable with only a tiny bit of grass, but it does look better. It is wonderful to see Wyoming green-it is a pretty color!

Tianna is my tiny friend who spent over a year in Denver on dialysis, awaiting a kidney transplant. She finally got her new kidney and is now doing well, although she faces lots of other problems. Her family worked tirelessly to keep them alive in Denver and find enough money for the surgeries she needed. Her auntie sold truck fulls of Indian Tacos and Fried bread-she rented the Kiwanis trailer and went all around the county selling. They held rummage sales and bake sales, raffles and drawings for three years. One day I asked Punky (auntie to Tianna) when she was going to quit selling tacos and she said "When Tianna gets her kidney". Sadly, Punky lost her son, his funeral is tomorrow and Tianna and the family are leaving right after the service. He was an organ donor and over 50 people will be helped by the donations. Tianna has made a big difference in so many lives.