Today's April 18th...it would have been Mom & Dad's 44th wedding anniversary.
I thought I was going to be doing okay...but I'm feeling pretty blue. We just finished a pretty fun Werewolf game over at TCF...that kinda perked my spirits for a little. But I didn't sleep well, woke up at 2:30am...and stayed up until I went into work at 6am.
Had the ipod on instead of Talk Radio...seemed like all the sad songs came on.
My family never really celebrated anniversaries very much...we'd try to be good...but that was about it.
We really celebrate birthdays, though. We're not a large family...Mom, Dad, four kids, three in-laws, and four grandkids. But we get together as a family for each person's birthday. We do dinner, cake, and gifts. Until last year, we pretty much would do "cake & ice cream" for everyone's birthday.
I think it was mostly because we could count on that time to get together. We all live within 45 miles or so of one another...but just don't get together much.
So that always makes birthdays special. Mom always liked it because she got cake.
Amy's birthday is in a few weeks, then Mom's is in May. I think these next two birthdays are going to be hard.
I miss my mom.
Friday, April 18, 2008
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
The King House When I was Young
I'm the oldest of 4 children. My sister Christine is 3 1/2 years younger than me. My sister Amy was 3 1/2 years younger than Christine. And Jerry came along 2 years later. That's 9 years between me and Jerry.
My dad worked at Sears most of his working life as a technician...repairing TVs, washers, lawnmowers...pretty much everything Sears sold. It was tough, because it seemed like Dad was either working, laid off, or on strike. I think for a good 10 years it was half working and half not.
Mom was a stay-at-home mom...with 4 kids it would have been tough to do otherwise. Somewhere around the time that I was 12 Mom took a job at the ice arena, working the concession stand. She was injured at work - she suffered a ruptured disk when she turned and hit the stainless steel sink. She lost the feeling in her leg for a while. She ended up stepping on a piece of glass. Because of the nerve damage, it didn't heal right, and Mom developed osteoporosis, which basically ate away her heel bone.
So Mom was in and out of the hospital for 10 years; she was in a wheel chair for a while, and ended up using a walker for many years.
Despite some of these problems, I'd say my home life was filled with love and laughter and doing things together. we always had dinner together, watched TV together. we had a nice pool in the backyard, so we spent a lot of time together when we might have been at a friend's house. we went on vacation to upper Lower Michigan a lot...especially the Mio area. I played hockey as a youngster, and we went on a lot of hockey trips as a family.
a lot of this time together was spent laughing at one another. woe be to the one who fell or dropped something...even at 5 my youngest brother was in on picking on everyone.
spent a lot of time watching TV together. During the afternoons I watch game shows with my mom, and we laughed at Password and Hollywood Squares and Match Game and the such. This was the time of the mini-series, too...so we watched Roots, several mini-series (series-es?) on WWII and Nazis, Civil War...and the Human Body. But my parents took the time to explain about the things we watched. I particularly remember being fairly grossed out when the "pregnancy" episode of the Human Boday came on...and Mom and Dad explained exactly how the making a baby thing worked! :O
Because my Mom was sick a lot, my sister and I took care of the house a lot. I remember changing diapers, cooking dinner, generally taking care of my siblings. We were a close family.
Those were the things that stayed with us the most. Laughing. Learning. Family. And the things that we'll make sure that Chloe grows up with too.
My dad worked at Sears most of his working life as a technician...repairing TVs, washers, lawnmowers...pretty much everything Sears sold. It was tough, because it seemed like Dad was either working, laid off, or on strike. I think for a good 10 years it was half working and half not.
Mom was a stay-at-home mom...with 4 kids it would have been tough to do otherwise. Somewhere around the time that I was 12 Mom took a job at the ice arena, working the concession stand. She was injured at work - she suffered a ruptured disk when she turned and hit the stainless steel sink. She lost the feeling in her leg for a while. She ended up stepping on a piece of glass. Because of the nerve damage, it didn't heal right, and Mom developed osteoporosis, which basically ate away her heel bone.
So Mom was in and out of the hospital for 10 years; she was in a wheel chair for a while, and ended up using a walker for many years.
Despite some of these problems, I'd say my home life was filled with love and laughter and doing things together. we always had dinner together, watched TV together. we had a nice pool in the backyard, so we spent a lot of time together when we might have been at a friend's house. we went on vacation to upper Lower Michigan a lot...especially the Mio area. I played hockey as a youngster, and we went on a lot of hockey trips as a family.
a lot of this time together was spent laughing at one another. woe be to the one who fell or dropped something...even at 5 my youngest brother was in on picking on everyone.
spent a lot of time watching TV together. During the afternoons I watch game shows with my mom, and we laughed at Password and Hollywood Squares and Match Game and the such. This was the time of the mini-series, too...so we watched Roots, several mini-series (series-es?) on WWII and Nazis, Civil War...and the Human Body. But my parents took the time to explain about the things we watched. I particularly remember being fairly grossed out when the "pregnancy" episode of the Human Boday came on...and Mom and Dad explained exactly how the making a baby thing worked! :O
Because my Mom was sick a lot, my sister and I took care of the house a lot. I remember changing diapers, cooking dinner, generally taking care of my siblings. We were a close family.
Those were the things that stayed with us the most. Laughing. Learning. Family. And the things that we'll make sure that Chloe grows up with too.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Tough Weekend Coming Up
Ah...more sad news today.
Jordan is our 17 year-old neice on Jenny's side - Jenny's brother Craig's step-daughter. A young man in her class died the other day - it sounds like it was the result of a suicide attempt. We just learned about it, but we don't know very much about it...how Jordan's doing and such.
Being so down last week, I really forgot something. We're going to a wedding next weekend in Chicago for a second-cousin of Jenny's. Her mother's family is Italian, from up in the Upper Pennisula (U.P.) of Michigan...and they've always been really close. Weddings, especially, have always been big to-do's.
I think it's the first get-together since Ed, Peg, and Darcy have all passed that isn't a funeral. For the last bunch of years, we'd have travelled together with Jenny's parents. Darcy had been living out-of-state since she was 18, and it would have been another one of those fun weekends where we would have all been together.
Jenny mentioned that she's had a few bad dreams recently...dreamt about her mom a few times. And she also mentioned that for just a second she was looking forward to seeing Darcy this weekend. So it's bound to be a tough week and weekend.
Jordan is our 17 year-old neice on Jenny's side - Jenny's brother Craig's step-daughter. A young man in her class died the other day - it sounds like it was the result of a suicide attempt. We just learned about it, but we don't know very much about it...how Jordan's doing and such.
Being so down last week, I really forgot something. We're going to a wedding next weekend in Chicago for a second-cousin of Jenny's. Her mother's family is Italian, from up in the Upper Pennisula (U.P.) of Michigan...and they've always been really close. Weddings, especially, have always been big to-do's.
I think it's the first get-together since Ed, Peg, and Darcy have all passed that isn't a funeral. For the last bunch of years, we'd have travelled together with Jenny's parents. Darcy had been living out-of-state since she was 18, and it would have been another one of those fun weekends where we would have all been together.
Jenny mentioned that she's had a few bad dreams recently...dreamt about her mom a few times. And she also mentioned that for just a second she was looking forward to seeing Darcy this weekend. So it's bound to be a tough week and weekend.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Just wanted to post a little note. I've heard from several people, and I really appreciate the thoughts.
I've had a good couple of days. I really think just putting these thoughts out there has helped a little. I've also slept a little better and started eating a little more...I'm sure that'll help.
I've thought about posting some more, but I kinda want to enjoy this feeling of not being sad right now.
It's Saturday...and we're going to try to get out a little and do something...at least until it starts snowing (stupid Michigan).
I've had a good couple of days. I really think just putting these thoughts out there has helped a little. I've also slept a little better and started eating a little more...I'm sure that'll help.
I've thought about posting some more, but I kinda want to enjoy this feeling of not being sad right now.
It's Saturday...and we're going to try to get out a little and do something...at least until it starts snowing (stupid Michigan).
Thursday, April 10, 2008
A Quick Thank You
At the risk of seeming trite...I wanted to say hello and thanks to my new friends at TCF Werewolf.
I've been fairly depressed since the beginning of the year, and joining the TCF gang in playing an online social game called Werewolf has provided a nice ... I hesitate to say "distraction" ...
But I wanted the TCF WW gang (BGs and GGs) to know that they've helped make my grief a little easier.
So everyone else, come over to http://www.tivocommunity.com/, go to the Funhouse forum, and join us in a Werewolf game - we love fresh meat!
Thanks guys. Truly.
I've been fairly depressed since the beginning of the year, and joining the TCF gang in playing an online social game called Werewolf has provided a nice ... I hesitate to say "distraction" ...
But I wanted the TCF WW gang (BGs and GGs) to know that they've helped make my grief a little easier.
So everyone else, come over to http://www.tivocommunity.com/, go to the Funhouse forum, and join us in a Werewolf game - we love fresh meat!
Thanks guys. Truly.
The First Blog Post
Hello, and welcome.
2007 was a very bad year for my family. It's April 2008, and it's really starting to hit me. So I've decided to start blogging...put some of my thoughts out on the web...hoping it'll help.
I just don't know how to start. I want to give a little background and such...
My name is Ed King. I was born in 1965, and that makes me 42 right now. My wife Jenny was also born in 1965...and we both have lived in Michigan all our lives. We've been together for 21 years...dated for 8 and married for 13.
We never tried to have kids...and we didn't really try to avoid it...and we found ourselves in or late 30's thinking that it was going to be in the cards for us. Until that fateful day when Jenny told me that we had a 'glitch' (as I was about to by airline tickets to Hilton Head!). In June 2004 we "welcomed" Chloe Elizabeth to our family. Chloe's 3 now...turning 4 in a few months. She really is a joy, but we didn't realize what a gift from Heaven she was really going to be.
The short story is that our family has lost 4 family members in the last 2 years.
My wife Jenny's dad Ed Waldron passed away in September 2005 at the age of 72. He had a tumor in his spine that was thought to be lung cancer.
Jenny's mother Peg had suffered from long-untreated high blood pressure. She developed kidney disease. Following a burst divirticulitis, Peggy suffered mulitple organ failure and passed away in August 2007.
Late in 2005, Jenny's 43 year old sister Darcy was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. She fought her way through chemo, radiation, and other treatments. She passed away in September 2007. Darcy was married and had a 16 year old daughter.
Darcy's illness really took it's toll on Peggy, along with missing Ed. Peggy was fairly depressed, and we asked her one time if there was anything she really enjoyed...and she said Chloe just brightened her day. As tough as it was to lose her, we feel it's fortunate that Peggy went before her daughter Darcy...I just don't think we're supposed to bury our children.
Jenny had lost half her family in 2 years. She has two older brothers - Eddie and Craig.
As tough as that was, I remember thinking that...with Jenny's family being 10 years older than mine...that the Kings should have another 10 years or so before we started dealing with such grief.
We had a relatively uneventful October, and we were starting to try to figure out what to do for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was Peggy's holiday...her family from Upper Michigan would always come down and stay at the Waldron house.
Then my mother went into the hospital in November. Mom had suffered with various things through her life. The last year she had a cough/cold thing that just kept coming back on her. Her doctor "diagnosed" her with COPD and IPF...a pair of lung disorders. They wanted to do a biopsy on her lung the year before, but the procedure scared her.
Well, she went into the hospital with pneumonia on Sunday, November 11th. They moved her into an isolation room while the tested her for TB. Mom passed away early Thursday morning. The doctors were all shocked, they did not understand what happened. My father and I choose not to have an autopsy done. The doctors speculate that she had a heart attack or a blood clot. There are lots of questions...but I don't think it really matters. My mom was 63.
I have a lot of things to say about my mom, and I'll get to them in later posts. Losing so much of Jenny's family I think helped a little when my mom went. But right now it just seems like all the color has gone out of life. I recently realized that I just don't want to leave the house right now. I'm on like 20 mg of fluoxetine (it's like zoloft), but I think I need to get in for some extra help.
My goal is to post more...tell everyone what my mom meant to me...how much we miss Jenny's dad and mom...how horrified we are that Darcy's not around anymore. I'm going to try to get pictures up.
2007 was a very bad year for my family. It's April 2008, and it's really starting to hit me. So I've decided to start blogging...put some of my thoughts out on the web...hoping it'll help.
I just don't know how to start. I want to give a little background and such...
My name is Ed King. I was born in 1965, and that makes me 42 right now. My wife Jenny was also born in 1965...and we both have lived in Michigan all our lives. We've been together for 21 years...dated for 8 and married for 13.
We never tried to have kids...and we didn't really try to avoid it...and we found ourselves in or late 30's thinking that it was going to be in the cards for us. Until that fateful day when Jenny told me that we had a 'glitch' (as I was about to by airline tickets to Hilton Head!). In June 2004 we "welcomed" Chloe Elizabeth to our family. Chloe's 3 now...turning 4 in a few months. She really is a joy, but we didn't realize what a gift from Heaven she was really going to be.
The short story is that our family has lost 4 family members in the last 2 years.
My wife Jenny's dad Ed Waldron passed away in September 2005 at the age of 72. He had a tumor in his spine that was thought to be lung cancer.
Jenny's mother Peg had suffered from long-untreated high blood pressure. She developed kidney disease. Following a burst divirticulitis, Peggy suffered mulitple organ failure and passed away in August 2007.
Late in 2005, Jenny's 43 year old sister Darcy was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. She fought her way through chemo, radiation, and other treatments. She passed away in September 2007. Darcy was married and had a 16 year old daughter.
Darcy's illness really took it's toll on Peggy, along with missing Ed. Peggy was fairly depressed, and we asked her one time if there was anything she really enjoyed...and she said Chloe just brightened her day. As tough as it was to lose her, we feel it's fortunate that Peggy went before her daughter Darcy...I just don't think we're supposed to bury our children.
Jenny had lost half her family in 2 years. She has two older brothers - Eddie and Craig.
As tough as that was, I remember thinking that...with Jenny's family being 10 years older than mine...that the Kings should have another 10 years or so before we started dealing with such grief.
We had a relatively uneventful October, and we were starting to try to figure out what to do for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was Peggy's holiday...her family from Upper Michigan would always come down and stay at the Waldron house.
Then my mother went into the hospital in November. Mom had suffered with various things through her life. The last year she had a cough/cold thing that just kept coming back on her. Her doctor "diagnosed" her with COPD and IPF...a pair of lung disorders. They wanted to do a biopsy on her lung the year before, but the procedure scared her.
Well, she went into the hospital with pneumonia on Sunday, November 11th. They moved her into an isolation room while the tested her for TB. Mom passed away early Thursday morning. The doctors were all shocked, they did not understand what happened. My father and I choose not to have an autopsy done. The doctors speculate that she had a heart attack or a blood clot. There are lots of questions...but I don't think it really matters. My mom was 63.
I have a lot of things to say about my mom, and I'll get to them in later posts. Losing so much of Jenny's family I think helped a little when my mom went. But right now it just seems like all the color has gone out of life. I recently realized that I just don't want to leave the house right now. I'm on like 20 mg of fluoxetine (it's like zoloft), but I think I need to get in for some extra help.
My goal is to post more...tell everyone what my mom meant to me...how much we miss Jenny's dad and mom...how horrified we are that Darcy's not around anymore. I'm going to try to get pictures up.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)