Welcome to the Santini Family blog! I'm still new to blogging so you'll have to bear with me. I thought this might be a good way for the family to keep in touch with one another. Our priest used a blog to get feedback from people on changes in the church. My friend Sarah has a blog for the women's ministry book study group. I thought I would give it a try.
June has been a busy month. Jon, Jr. started his new job at OSU in Security Services on the 5th. We celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary on the 8th. Jon's Dad came down to visit on the 10th and he took Jonnie to see "Cars" in the theater. Since Jonnie was with PapPap, I went to Jon's IDPA match in Circleville which was really neat to see although it was cold & rainy.
Jon's Mom Chris came in on the 13th. It was an unplanned visit because Mark's Dad passed away that week. Chris and Mark stayed with us until the 18th. We had some other folks staying with us but they were only there to sleep so we talked only briefly.
Jon and I both had health screenings on June 20th. My health screening went well but Jon needs to keep an eye on his blood pressure because it has been high. Both of us are overweight so we both have been trying to make healthier meals at home and make better food choices when grocery shopping. I am the only one who has been trying to get in additional exercise. I enjoy walking over to our local park and walking the 1/2 mile nature trail. I'm usually gone for an hour. This is the one thing that keeps me grounded in addition to going to Adoration every Monday evening for quiet time and prayer.
Our church social committee hosted our annual rib & music fest on the 24th. I was responsible for picking up the food, drink, and supplies since I can't cook. My car was so full of stuff for the church and personal stuff that it was almost dragging when I left Sam's club. Unfortunately, Jon and Jonnie missed the Ribfest because Jonnie was having a bad weekend and screamed through his hair cut and Jon was not going to try and bring him to the rib fest.
We took Jonnie to the park on Sunday the 25th and he seemed to enjoy it. I was really sore on Monday morning because I was climbing some of the equipment with Jonnie and I used muscles that I forgot that I had!
Tonight is the big homeowners association meeting and our first official vote under the new board of directors. I wrote the ballot and it took 2 weeks for everyone to agree on it finally. This group has taken more of my time and it's been so political. I guess I'm just not cut out for politics! I'll be happy when it's over.
On the 30th, Jon and I are getting together for lunch on campus so we can have one meal where we can talk. Jon and Jonnie are heading to Leetonia after Jon gets off work and they'll be back on the 4th for Plain City's parade. As for me, I have a lengthy to-do list of chores and errands that I want to get done while the guys are out of town. I have to work on the 3rd but I have the 4th off. On the 5th, I'm driving to Ashland to spend a couple of days with my Mom & Dad. We're going to take my 94 year old grandma out to lunch while I'm in the area.
Life will return to "normal" on July 8th!
posted by Jodi @ 6/29/2006 12:50:00 PM
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Okay, I am an idiot! I realized I made a mistake on Jon's new job. He is a systems adminstrator in Key Card Control. He is NOT in Security Services but he works with them. Sorry, honey!
Funny how I said that life would return to normal come July. Life has been far from normal.
Since his PHA in June, Jon has continued to experience problems with his blood pressure. He's been tired and has had headaches. Jon saw his doctor for some blood tests and was just diagnosed with hemochromatosis which is a long name for "too much iron in the blood". Jon's doctor took more blood today and is running more specialized tests. Jon will get the test results on August 2nd. Until then, Jon was prescribed blood pressure medication to help lower his blood pressure until another treatment method can be determined.
I went to visit my Mom & Dad July 5-7 and it was an interesting visit. I saw a side of my Dad that I'd rather not seen. My Mom had a meeting of her ladies club the first night I was there. It didn't bother me cuz I figured I could spend some time with my Dad. My Dad was very bitter about my Mom not skipping her meeting to spend time with me.
Well, I will need to continue this later; Jon's yelling at me because Jonnie decided he wants to take a bath.
Okay, I'm back now after giving Jonnie a bath.
While I was visiting my parents, my Dad had a follow-up appointment with his neurologist to review his MRI and EEG results. Dad said he wasn't going to see the doctor and he wouldn't eat breakfast or lunch that day. While Mom and I were eating lunch, my Dad snapped and went off on me. He said that I talked entirely too much about the Santini family and that my father-in-law, my husband, and my son are all moochers and that it is wrong for 3 men to feel that they can live all off a woman. Instead of being proud of my success since college, my Dad is angry because he doesn't feel I should be the one supporting our family. Mom and I told Dad that we were going to see the neurologist and he ended getting in the car with us. The doctor gave him some basic tests to check his mental state and had my Dad walk to check his physical state. The doctor handed my Dad a report which summarized the MRI results. Dad gave it to me so I started reading it. Other than the word "brain", the rest of the report was full of huge medical terms so I asked the doctor to please explain the issues, in plain English. My Dad has enlarged chambers in his brain and if they continue to enlarge, he could start shuffling instead of walking and lose the ability to control his need to use the bathroom as a couple of examples. The doctor asked to look at some catscan x-rays from 2001 when my Dad had a series of seizures topped off with a fall and a blow to the head. We took Dad home and went back to the doctor with the catscan xrays. The chambers in my Dad's brain were already enlarged in 2001 and they've continued to enlarge. We asked the doctor about my Dad's mood swings and temperment but he did not seem to think it's related. The doctor mentioned that Dad seems to be doing well and remaining seizure free since they have started decreasing his phenobarbatol. He reminded my Mom that Dad is not to be driving. What???? My Dad had driven us over to my Grandma's the day before. Perhaps the drug adjustment explain why my Dad almost took out that guardrail.
Mom and I decided to let Dad have some time to himself so we did a little shopping before we went back home. Dad had mowed grass and admitted that he was starving so we went to dinner at 3:30 in the afternoon. While we had been out shopping, my Mom told me that she has been verbally abused by my Dad for 5 years now. I feel terrible especially since after Dad spouted off at me I decided to pack up and leave early on Friday morning. The good news is that before I left on Friday that my Dad did apologize for yelling at me. I told him not to worry about but he insisted that it was wrong. I told him that that I was doing the same thing to people until I started taking Lexapro on my 33rd birthday.
My husband was surprised that I was actually able to drive to Ashland and back. He never thought I would do it. I feel good that I did it! When I got home, I used my PHA reward from OSU and bought a couple of books on elder care to educate myself on the subject.
The book I read in my spare time (ha!)at home is Elder Rage; take my father please which is very interesting and I have trouble putting it down. It tells the story of a woman who was trying to help her aging parents and had to battle with her two-faced father.
I've been alternating between two books at Adoration on Monday nights. Last week I did prayers from the Liturgy of the Hours. Tonight, I read My Spirit Rejoiced which is about a woman who battles illness through faith; a faith which inspired her faithless husband to become a Catholic priest after her death. It's a very good read so far.
I should wrap this up. I need to take my nightly Lexapro and go to bed. Jon leaves for New York tomorrow and he'll be gone through the 26th. That means I get to play the role of "single mom" for over a week. Needless to say I'm a bit nervous!
Take care and thanks for reading. I'll try to post again soon.
Wow, Jodi! You and your family are in my prayers. If you need anything, let me know. WOW!
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