Midge at UAB West #641, Thursday 1/26/2006

January 26, 2006, Thursday pm

Dear friends and family,

Mom has been in the hospital since Monday night January 23, 2006. I have been too busy to put anything her so below picks up last night when I was there. Read on...

Wednesday night I picked up her walker at A/G and 2 robes and 2 aprons for mom at the hospital. I laundered those Wednesday night and put all this in my car so I would not forget them.

Thursday I took some am time to recover from working 'hard' the last 3 days running a food show for the company. I don't like to talk about me but...standing on concrete, walking, working, talking almost non-stop for 3 days, it was time for some personal down time. I checked on the hours at the hospital for mom and called my boss and said I would see him Friday.

I ate lunch at the hospital cafeteria then back to my car and got mom things for her. I got upstairs and could see her sleeping in the lounge chair with a warm blanket, makeup, earrings, and all. I talked to Jackie Waters, her RN, and she helped me put up the things I brought for mom and brought me up to date on her.

Mom did sleep last night but has been pretty sleepy all day. Plus they did some further testing and gave her some meds, plus they are trying to adjust her meds to get her back to feeling good. She is eating well now at least 50 percent of her meal plus a boost with it. Jackie said she has had 4 boost already today.

Mom roused up a little while I was there but I only hugged her and napped on her shoulder. I took a hint from Bobbie yesterday and let mom rest and just rest with her. Trying to get mom to do something when she is so sleepy is a losing battle.

I stayed about 1 1/2 hours or about 5:00pm and mom was still sleeping. I kissed her goodbye and she told me she loved me. She nodded off back to sleep and Jackie said they will let her sleep until dinner.

Mom is comfortable and they are going to make her the best she can be. Keep her and all us in your prayers. Uncle Bill needs your prayers too. Bobbie said the last time I talked to her that he was doing some better too.

Love to all,

Jeff, Bro Jeff, Dad, and aka GRANDPA JEFF

Barbara Guyton, Her Story

Wednesday January 11, 2006: 6:30am

Dear Friends and family,

*Below is an email from Barbara Guyton about Billy Northcutt and Sherry and Midgie! Bobbie thought you might enjoy her comments and updates...Read on...

Have had such a nice day today...talked with Sherry & Billy and they both were feeling good. They had had showers and were waiting for the therapist to help Billy gain more strength in his legs.. He is so much better than the last couple of months and his voice was almost back to normal because his strength is better.

Went to Ashtone Gables to see Midgie . Got there about 2:30 and when I knocked and went into her room she was seated on the loveseat very busy with something she had been seeing to. She was glad to see me and I was so glad to see her. She looked lovely in a suit I had not seen before..pants with mingled colors of. dark green & brown as well as I can remember, and a dark green matching top and matching scarf round her neck tied in front. Her mirror was near by and she picked it up to check her lipstick that was perfect.

Several of the staff came in and she was so friendly with them and they complimented her saying how sweet she is. Fiona came in about when I was leaving, they were all going to the living room for activites. Midgie was ready to go, I put a little blush on her cheeks and brushed her hair in sorta page boy style and she looked beautiful. I could'nt leave until I sat with them and heard Fione read a story about family, especially a Father. I got a cup of fresh coffee and enjoyed the time.

Fiona asked if anyone wanted to tell anything about their Fathers and I said to Midgie, Tell them about our Daddy and she said , with gusto, that he was so wonderful and a good man and made all our lives happy..I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT!
She did not want me to go but I didn't make a big deal of it and she told me how much she loved me and we hugged. I slipped away.

It was a wonderful visit, the best in some time. By the way, she pointed out her pictures on the wall to me for the first time, she seems so at home. Looked at a calendar from Jason's family. I wished for one. It is darling. Quickly let me say that Fiona said Midgie was queen of the exercise Class. When Midgie said to the group that she was 91 years old, they all gasped in disbelief.

Love, Bobbie

P>S> I left her in the living room, contented.

Mom, Bro Jack and Bro Jeff

How does your Sunday begin? Around my house it is coffee, getting the Sunday paper out of the yard, checking this 'puter' for email, then getting Karen up and important time together. This was yesterday and I was off to shower, shave and dress for Church at 8:30am. Karen is recovering from some tests Thursday at Carraway and bowed out for Church today. That is OK, as I have a visit to mom on my agenda and this would tie up Karen pretty much all day. She is not up to that yet!

SS and Church was very good but the preacher 'apostilized' some our members into his 6 week SS class called "What it means to be a Presbyterian!". Oh, that is OK but they even took some chairs out of our SS class! Everyone laughed when I complained about the chairs! Our SS chairs have a special meaning as back in early 90's we refinished all the chairs and had custom pads made for each that matched. That is another story but we swapped chairs out of other SS classes but that was to have the same design ladder back as some of ours were different. No one noticed this exchange we did so covertly.

I am wandering all over the place on this episle am I not? After Church, I drove to the grocery store and got groceries and few things for mom. I checked on her house, got her bills, and changed the heating and lighting. Everything was fine. I then drove back to Vestavia, got gas, dropped off 2 movies at Blockbuster and home with the groceries. I can now go and visit mom and it is not even 2:00pm yet.

I met Bro Jack on the parking lot at Ashton Gables. He pulled in right behind me? Good timing and the 3 of us enjoyed our visit with mom. Her cold is better but now having some hoarceness that goes along with the after effects of a bad cold. Jack and I neated up her room and I matched some clothes in her closet and put some fruit cups in her frig and a roll of paper towels on the roll in the bathroom.

Jack stayed until about 3:15pm when the minister and her assistant came to have Church at A/G. I sat with mom and we sang old spirtuals like 'old rugged cross' and mom knew the words and sang along with the song sheet provided. We even had Communion" together and for me, I was twice blessed, having had Communion today twice.

I took mom back to her room and got her comfortable before her dinner in about an hour. I told mom bye, as Karen gave me a list for the drug store and I still had some shopping to do. I did and and was home by 5:15pm. A long day and Jeff (Bro Jeff) got into sweats, a light meal, and soon slept through 2 hour shows in my recliner. Sunday is my busiest day of the week!...Jeff

Alabama 15-Texas Tech 13

Tuesday January 3, 2006: am

Dear family and friends,

Midgie seems to adjusting OK at Ashton Gables and loves mail, cards, and visits. Her address is at the top of the Northcutt-Nutter homepage in the scrolling news.

I went to SS and Church in Bessemer then by 513 Alice Street to check on mail and dry a blanket that I washed Saturday. Every thing was fine so it was off to AG.

I got there about 1:30pm and the door was open and I could hear mom talking to someone. Mary Crump Walker, one of the residence had come to visit mom and they were sitting and talking in mom's room. She was glad to see me and I found her some earrings, as she does lose or misplace them regularly.

I had gotten mom's Rx she had before going to AG and gave these to Donna, the RN, for the Medicine Chest to pick up. There is a charge for packaging these for AG but that is still a savings over their cost.

Mom and I and Mary visited for a while then went up to the living room where the snacks were almost ready. Mom loved the red and black blanket I brought and she had me place it across the foot of the bed. It was good visit but I only stayed about 1 1/2 hours. Karen had made my birthday dinner, a favorite of mine. Turnip greens, blackeyed peas, ham, and cornbread.

I told mom bye and told her it would be Tuesday before I got back. I knew home, Alabama football, and more good eating would interfere with my visiting Monday. Alabama won 15 to 13 over Texas Tech in the Cotton Bowl with Christensen kicking a field goal in the last 3 seconds to secure the win. Mom I am so sorry but it will be Tuesday pm before I see you. I hope you forgive me....love Jeff

Me and Mom Saturday 31st of December

Sunday January 1, 2005

Dear friends and family,

I did some driving early Saturday to check on her house, pick up her mail, and make sure everything was secure at 513 Alice Street. Everything was fine, and I needed turnip greens!

Turnip greens, blackeyed peas, ham, and homemade cornbread is mine and Karen fare for the 1st ringing in the New Year. I don't know if it is really lucky to do this, but I can tell you that it sure is good! Yumm!

4th Avenue Super Market in Bessemer is the best place in the world, yes the world, to find fresh turnip greens. $6.00/bunch is a little steepy in price but clean, cold, just beautiful. I got a paper takeout bag and the bunch was almost too large to fit in the bag. Now that is a bunch of turnip greens. Don't give me the canned version, I will just pass! I got my blackeyed peas, milk, and some other veggies and soon had a buggy full. I also got some individual servings of peaches, orange sections, apple sauce, and some devil food sandwiches mom loves so much.

Oh, I almost forgot! While at mom's I fixed me a pimento and cheese sandwich, and two more, one for mother, and one for Ms Judy, mom's friend at Meadowood where mom was in rehab for 7 weeks. After leaving the grocery store, I took Judy her sandwich and devil's food sandwich for dessert. She and I visited for about 30 minutes and she loved her PP sandwich and devils food sandwich. I told her I would probably be back again real soon. A good visit.

I got home, dropped off our groceries, then headed toward Ashton Gables and mom. She was in her room going through her mail and cards and just loves that. We do need to get her picture albums repaired so she can show off her family. She has one small album, but I am negligent in getting the old one I have back to her. Project Uno! I got all the individual servings mentioned earlier in her frig and went back and told Donna, the RN, at the nursing station about these items. I also took mom's old Rx to Ashton Gables and they will get these Rx to the Medicine Chest and use them for mom, a savings.

Mom and I soon went up to the dining room and they had made ham salad sandwiches and cookies and I got her a glass of milk to go with her snack. We visited with the ladies in the dining room and I am getting to know many of them by their first name, a must for mom to fit in. Mom is slow to make friends now and somehow has lost that in her repretore(sp.). She used to never meet a stranger but now has a hard time remembering who folks are.

After the snack and visit we went back to 137 and visited a while and it was soon 4:30pm and Jeff needed to head home. She understands IF I tell her I am coming back tomorrow. I cannot lie, and Yes mom I will be back tomorrow afternoon. What time? About 1:30pm, is that OK. I love you son! That is worth everything, just to hear her say that one more time! I love you guys too! Send mom a card, visit if you can, and see ya later! Love you son, Jeff!