Sad Endings

There has been A sad ending today to the recent Silver Alert for Mrs. Georgia Lehar(84) of Oklahoma City. Today, a road crew discovered Mrs. Lehar deceased inside her car, alongside a local road.

Mrs. Lehar was last seen on Friday evening, July 2nd. The Silver Alert was issued on Sunday, July 4th. She was reported to have a history of high blood pressure and thyroid problems, both which required medicine. Like the others, Georgia also had a history of getting lost and becoming disoriented and was suffering from signs of dimentia.

I can't help but wonder what happened in her life these (almost) two weeks. Where has she been and why has she not been spotted before this? She had to be somewhere! I worry that she was alone and scared; but I know that when Susan wanders off confused, she doesn't feel scared- she feels determined and aggressive. But Susan has never been wandering more then three hours; even then, I was close by.

My prayers go out for the Lehar family tonight. I pray not just for them, but for the next person who becomes confused and cannot find their way home. I pray for myself, that I will always be close on Susan's heels to protect her from her own confusion. I pray tonight for all of us who care for all of them.

Susan Is Falling

Susan has fallen three times in the past week. She seems to be dizzy and weak in the legs. She has chosen to stay in bed more often then usual and has eaten less. Otherwise, things seem rather normal with her. We are wondering if she may have a little virus or if she may be having a reaction to her medicine. She is scheduled for a doctor visit this week and the nurse will stop by tomorrow.

The first fall happened at night when she was overtired but would not go on to bed. She wanted to get milk for the baby and refused to listen to Jeff when he told her she needed to lie down. The sudden loud THUMP scared our houseguests and sent them running for Jeff and I. We found her in the hall with her rollers on the floor circling her head. The thump had knocked them all straight out of her hair. Jeff and Ted managed to get Susan up and escort her to bed (where she should have been in the first place).

The second fall happened inside her bedroom one morning. From the kitchen, we could hear her low voice calling for help. That time she was lying on the floor blocking the door from opening. Only her hand was visible as it grasped the lower portion of the door. Jeff squeezed his way in and again, Ted and Jeff lifted her to the bed.

One day last week she expressed her feelings about this whole thing. She stood in the living room by her rocker, half-looking over at me in the kitchen. Seemingly out of nowhere she began, “To tell you the truth, what’s happening to myself right now, I can’t believe.”
“What do you mean, Susan?” I wanted to hear her thoughts.
“The things I used to do, I just don’t feel like doing them right now.”
She paused and appeared to be thinking…
“It’s very unusual.” She continued expressing what she was feeling.
“I’m just going to go to bed again. Karen, just save my food for later; I just don’t have the appetite to do it..”
Do what? Eat?
Poor Susan. Her body seems to want to catch up with her mind these days. It is a very sad thing to watch.
“Okay Susan. I hope you feel better.” There was nothing else to say, except, “I love you, Susan.”
She turned and looked me in the face as she shuffled her way across the house and toward her bed. "I love you too."

Sing, Pray, Dance!

Susan’s Song:

Susan has spent more time then she would like on our back porch these post-tornado days, as we have hammered and painted our way back to 'normal'. Team work has been all the rage! Together we have tried to keep Susan happy and cheerful while we work and she waits. She has participated in this whole project by: dancing, working, eating, drinking, talking, trimming flowers and even singing. Basically, anything to keep her from going back to bed.

Ted has made several of his almost famous construction site guitars! They have been grabbed spontaneously throughout our days to keep up the cheery spirit and to keep Susan alert! She is trying to play along. This week, she held the guitar as if it were real and began singing a melody that was part real and mostly made up. I was so impressed by the tale her lyrics might portray, that I grabbed a construction pencil and began dictating as she sang. Here is how it went...

“Love is a many splendid thing...No matter what happens...love is still a many splendid thing...hello young lover, whoever you are... I love you...I cannot find you anymore...You cannot change your mind... I am yours and you are mine... Forever...Love is a many splendid thing…”

(FYI: Susan finds it hard to remember that her husband passed away in 2004.)



Susan’s Prayer:
Part of the reason Susan likes to pray at meals is because she is in a hurry. Waiting for the family to be seated and gathered together is not toleable to her. Without warning, she just cuts in with a loud voice before the rest of us are fully at the table. But one day this week her prayer seemed sweet and sincere as she blessed our lunch.

“Bless Karen who gave me this food. Thank you, Lord, for her. She is a nice lady. I thank you for You too. And bless me, Lord. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.” She signed the cross on her head and chest as she ended her prayer and began eating. I looked on with a smile. “Thank you Lord, for Susan.” I have learned to be grateful for her being here. God is good- all the time.

Susan's Dance: