Archive for the ‘Nonna’ Category

• In The Sunshine at the Nursing Home

  Date: 2010.08.31 | Category: Aunt Lu, Bunky, Grammy, Nonna, Punky, Spunky | Response: 2

  

  

  

• A Summer Visit With Nonna

  Date: 2010.07.22 | Category: Bunky, Nonna, Punky, Spunky | Response: 7

  We visited my Nonna this week at her nursing home.
  She was doing pretty well; although, she has a hard time remembering to speak English.  She lived in Italy until my dad was six years old, and has now reverted speaking mostly in Italian.  I can pick up a words here and there, but I have a hard time putting them together.

  Nonna turned 87 in January!
  I think she looks great for a lady approaching 90.

  

  

  

• I Am Just Bummed…

  Date: 2010.04.16 | Category: Babies, Blogs, Bunky, Cousins, Family, Friends, Grammy, Health, Hubby, Loss, Nonna, Papa, Pregnancy, Punky, Spunky, mama | Response: 21

  In the past several of months, there has been so much sadness in my life and the lives of those around me.  I am having a very hard time this evening with it all.

  In a short period of time, our family has been constantly sick, my mom is dealing with her cancer and constant testing, my friend, who had been trying to conceive for nearly two years, miscarried her baby, my Nonna struggles in a nursing home, my other friends found out that their future plans are being delayed indefinitely, another friend delivered a stillborn full-term baby girl, my husband’s Aunt Joy passed away after a short battle with brain cancer, several people that we love have been trying for years and cannot conceive, my in-laws are going through a hard time at their church, a friend’s step-mother was diagnosed with cancer, and the wedding of our friends that was supposed to be this weekend had to be cancelled due to immigration issues and the groom is now detained, separated from his fiance AND his young daughter, on the weekend that was to be his wedding.

  On top of this, now that our family has been exposed to a “highly contagious” virus, we have to cancel our trip back home.  My mom’s side of the family, all four of her brothers and their families, were getting together.  One of my aunts has brain cancer and I have an uncle who is very ill.  I so wanted to be there because this may be the last time that everyone is together as a family, and now we can’t go.  We can’t expose these two family members, who are in compromised physical states, to this stupid virus.

  I am angry.  I am sad.  I am disappointed.  I am confused.  I am frustrated.

  I just wish things weren’t like this.

• Visiting Nonna in the Nursing Home

  Date: 2009.06.05 | Category: Grammy, Nonna, Papa, Punky, Spunky | Response: 6

  My Nonna (my dad’s mother) has been in a nursing home for a while now, and we were able to visit her a couple of times while we were away.  Our first visit was a little awkward; I felt like it took a while for her to realize who we were.  But the second visit went very smoothly.  She enjoyed being with the kids and having them sit on her lap.  They both hugged and kissed her whole-heartedly.  It was very sweet.

  

  After the nursing home, my dad and I took the kids to a local family hangout.  I can remember playing miniature golf and getting ice cream cones there when I was a kid.

  

• Thankful Thursday

  Date: 2009.02.11 | Category: Big Move, Bunky, Friends, Grammy, Grandma, Grandpa, Health, Hubby, Nonna, Papa, Parenting, Prayer, Punky, Spunky, mama | Response: 8

  It seems like all of my recent posts have been updates on all the hectic things going on in our lives.  I wanted to take this moment to reflect on the things that I am grateful for in my life.

  • the constant “I love you”s from Punky
  • kisses from Spunky that are always first on both cheeks and then the forehead
  • patience and unwavering love from my husband
  • phone conversations with my family
  • family and friends who call to check-up on me/us
  • my body pillow
  • saltine crackers and sliced apples
  • wisdom of doctors and nurses
  • a warm home with electricity (I never thought we wouldn’t have that- but life is full of surprises!)
  • boxes slowly being packed with the help of Punky
  • each handtracing (or “turkey”) on the boxes that Punky helped pack
  • crispy chicken sandwiches with lettuce and tomato
  • sleeping in on the weekend (even if I did have a migraine)
  • watching Spunky mothering her baby dolls
  • having everything that I need
  • the way that my husband provides so well for our family
  • bedtime prayers with the children
  • My faith and church
  • The Lord’s Prayer, which I have been praying when I wake up with nightmares recently (thanks to my pregnancy hormones, my dreams have been so vivid).  It brings me such comfort.

  Our Father, who art in heaven,

  Hallowed be thy Name.

  Thy kingdom come.

  Thy will be done,

  On earth as it is in heaven.

  Give us this day our daily bread.

  And forgive us our trespasses,

  As we forgive those who trespass against us.

  And lead us not into temptation,
  

  But deliver us from evil.

  Glory to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

  Now and ever and unto ages of ages.  Amen.

• Another Week Gone By

  Date: 2009.02.06 | Category: Big Move, Bunky, Grammy, Health, Hubby, Nonna, Parenting, Prayer, Punky, Spunky | Response: 7

  I don’t know where the time is going recently.  I don’t really consider this a bad thing right now with everything that has been going on, but I wish I was taking photos and enjoying more of my kiddos.

  Look for ONE new photo at the end of this post!

  Punky is doing much better.  Still coughing, but sleeping well.

  However, I’ve been really, really sick this week with my pregnancy.  I can’t keep anything down in the late afternoon/evening, and yesterday I only ate breakfast and then snacked on some “animals crackers”, as Punky calls them.

  Nonna is doing alright.  She should be moved to a rehab facility today or in the coming days. She becomes very confused and most of the time doesn’t know that she broke her leg or had surgery.  The doctors have one tough Italian lady to deal with.  Pray that she will be patient with the doctors and even understand what is going on.

  My mom is also hanging in there.  She was able to talk with two other doctors, and they both confirmed what she has been saying: there is no reason to do radiation on the area that is most likely scar tissue.  The other doctors have been in contact with her primary oncologist, and my mom should know more by the beginning of next week.

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  A New House is now pending for us.  The first home appraised at $10,000 less than what we were going to buy it for; so we were released from that contract.  Fortunately, we found an even better deal (a short-sell) and a house perfect for our needs!  It is not quite as large as the first, which is fine by me.  It has 5 beds, 2 1/2 baths, 2-car garage, a formal living room, dining room, 2-story family room, large eat-in kitchen and (the best part) a master suite with an office!  Now my hubby with his an office secluded from the rest of the house.  It is the perfect set up for him.  Please say a prayer that everything will go smoothly for us this time around!!  Short-sells take longer than a regular sale, but we are hoping to move in mid-March.

  

• Nonna is Out of ICU and Healing

  Date: 2009.02.02 | Category: Health, Nonna | Response: 1

  My Nonna had surgery yesterday afternoon.  She was put in ICU over night, but is now in a regular hospital room.  She has a long road ahead of her.  Please keep her in your prayers.

• Health Updates

  Date: 2009.01.30 | Category: Grammy, Health, Nonna, Prayer | Response: 5

  My mom get the results back from her PET Scan, but everything is very confusing right now.  As of right now, the doctors want to do radiation on one part of her hip, but this is not the section where they know that the original tumor is.  This second section showed up on the PET Scan, but it is also the place where my mom had her surgical biopsy a few months ago.  The first doctor said that it was just scar tissue, and now this other doctor wants to radiate it. My mom does not feel like this area should be radiated.

  My mom is being smart and standing her ground until all of the doctors can come to an agreement.  Please pray for her and the widsom of her doctors.

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  My Nonna broke her left femur.  She is now in the hospital, which will more than likely confuse her greatly.  As a result the doctors will probably end up either sedating her or tying her to the bed- neither being very good options.

  Please pray for my Nonna as she heals and as she is in a very confusing situation.  Pray also for my parents who are the ones dealing with this in the middle of everything going on with my mom.

  Thanks for your prayers!!

• Photos from Our Thanksgiving Trip

  Date: 2008.12.10 | Category: Grammy, Hubby, Nonna, Papa, Punky, Spunky, mama | Response: 5

  Unfortunately, my camera died only a few days after we arrived and I left my charger at home; so I don’t have many photos at all.  So disappointing! The photos that I do have are from when we visited my Nonna (my dad’s mom) in the nursing home and when we went upstate to visit my sister-in-law’s family. Enjoy!