Hershal and I wanted children so badly, but it seemed to take forever for it to happen. My first pregnancy, at the end of 1975, ended heartbreakingly with a miscarriage. Then I went for a couple of years wanting another child. Much to my surprise, by the time I found out I was pregnant with Mike, I was almost 5 months along!
I loved being pregnant; was never sick and felt wonderful. Mike was due the last week of May, 1977, and the date passed and still no baby! Finally, on June 7th, Dr. Jones induced labor at 1:00 PM and I had Mike at 12:48 am on June 8th. He was a big, healthy baby (8 lb. 8 oz.) and had blondish red hair that looked like peach fuzz!
When Mike was 6 weeks old, we took him on his first yearly vacation, camping, in Colorado, up at Woods Lake (near Telluride). From the first week of his life, he just cried, ate, spit up, and pooped. He didn't even sleep 6 hours a day! So, Hershal and I would take turns staying up with him every other night. Whoever was on "duty" would put Mike in a little red and white walker and while he played, we'd cat nap on the sofa.
Mike would drink about 10-15 bottles of milk a day! He never kept it down, so the poor little thing was always hungry, with a tummy ache. Because he was active practically 24/7, he began walking when he was 6.5 months old!!! He looked so tiny and cute. We knew from the beginning that he was going to be a very intelligent person (and he is!!!!).
Hersh and I reached our limit of only sleeping every other night after about 8 months. We tried soy milk, goat milk, and everything else; nothing worked. So, I weaned him at 8 months and he went straight to table food. And for the first time in his little life, he became a happy, happy baby (amazing how keeping food down works towards health)!
If I close my eyes, I can see him dressed in his gorgeous little clothes I'd buy... and he smelled so good. I bathed him in Johnson's soap, and the lotion, and powder. Everyone always commented on how cute he was and how wonderful he always smelled.
As I end this, I'm smiling. Remembering is a good thing.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
My Sons
The best things I have ever done in my ENTIRE LIFE. They are my reason for living! I have the two best children (and grandchildren) in the entire world! I am so blessed to have them! Thank you, Jesus, for Mike and Josh.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to the wacky world of Terry Crawford, Pryor, Oklahoma.
I was given a dire diagnosis Thanksgiving of 2009, with a life expectancy of about 4 months, without an open-heart surgery to replace my mitral valve with a bioprosthetic (pig and mechanical) valve, and to repair my aortic valve. The surgeon, in Las Vegas, NV, will also repair part of the fibulation in the middle junction of my heart so that I will not be 100% on my pacemaker (in other words, if it quits, I die). My heart and lung problems are a result of massive dosages of radiation back in 1981, which resulted in a lot of damage that is just now catching up to me.
This past year has been a living nightmare. I have been diagnosed with the above, plus Raynaud's Syndrome, CREST Syndrome, Lupus, COPD/Emphysema (and I haven't smoked), Ataxia, Severe Neuropathy, an inoperable tumor on my spine, Chronic Anemia, Congestive Heart Failure, Arythmia, Chronic Fatigue, and some I can't remember off the top of my head!
My life over the past three years has gone from very active to a pathetic shell of a human being. And yet, I have held on to my faith in Christ through my heavenly Father.
My worst regrets are the pain and suffering I have put my family through. My mother worries so much about me, when she has her own self to worry about. My sister also worries and her health isn't perfect, either. Then there are my two sons, Mike and Josh. My relationships with them have dwindled to the point to where I just cry to think of what I'm missing. I don't have the energy or strength to get dressed, go out, etc. I can't even hold my 3 year old, beautiful granddaughter, Rylynn! I miss going on adventures with my brilliant grandson, Nate. I miss the family dinners. I used to be a non-stop talker and now it just takes too much breath and energy to try to hold up a conversation, plus I have short-term memory loss that hinders things, too.
So many regrets. I just want the opportunity to try to make things right with everyone before I pass on. Is that too much to ask for?
The object of this blog is not to be dreary and depressing and defeated. Instead, I want to keep memories alive of my life after I'm gone. I want my children and grandchildren to know how much they are loved. I want my mom and sister, Sheree, to know how much I love them, and how much their support to me has meant.
And so begins my journey.
I was given a dire diagnosis Thanksgiving of 2009, with a life expectancy of about 4 months, without an open-heart surgery to replace my mitral valve with a bioprosthetic (pig and mechanical) valve, and to repair my aortic valve. The surgeon, in Las Vegas, NV, will also repair part of the fibulation in the middle junction of my heart so that I will not be 100% on my pacemaker (in other words, if it quits, I die). My heart and lung problems are a result of massive dosages of radiation back in 1981, which resulted in a lot of damage that is just now catching up to me.
This past year has been a living nightmare. I have been diagnosed with the above, plus Raynaud's Syndrome, CREST Syndrome, Lupus, COPD/Emphysema (and I haven't smoked), Ataxia, Severe Neuropathy, an inoperable tumor on my spine, Chronic Anemia, Congestive Heart Failure, Arythmia, Chronic Fatigue, and some I can't remember off the top of my head!
My life over the past three years has gone from very active to a pathetic shell of a human being. And yet, I have held on to my faith in Christ through my heavenly Father.
My worst regrets are the pain and suffering I have put my family through. My mother worries so much about me, when she has her own self to worry about. My sister also worries and her health isn't perfect, either. Then there are my two sons, Mike and Josh. My relationships with them have dwindled to the point to where I just cry to think of what I'm missing. I don't have the energy or strength to get dressed, go out, etc. I can't even hold my 3 year old, beautiful granddaughter, Rylynn! I miss going on adventures with my brilliant grandson, Nate. I miss the family dinners. I used to be a non-stop talker and now it just takes too much breath and energy to try to hold up a conversation, plus I have short-term memory loss that hinders things, too.
So many regrets. I just want the opportunity to try to make things right with everyone before I pass on. Is that too much to ask for?
The object of this blog is not to be dreary and depressing and defeated. Instead, I want to keep memories alive of my life after I'm gone. I want my children and grandchildren to know how much they are loved. I want my mom and sister, Sheree, to know how much I love them, and how much their support to me has meant.
And so begins my journey.
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