JCMAA Meeting 10-15-10

This morning I attended the Johnson County Military Affairs monthly meeting....and Joe was off work for his birthday so he went with me. I love going to these meetings and learning about all my community is doing to support the military. My favorite part today was discussing plans for the Veteran's Day Banquet at the Riverside Casino. I am so excited to spend the evening with some very impressive hometown heroes!! And I learned the U of Iowa Air Force is joining in the support of Iowa Troop Pantry. At the October 30 Hawkeye Football game they are having a "fill the bus" event asking for donations for ITP! Very exciting!!

Angels Among US - Alabama

Angels Among Us

As it got closer to the time for me to attend the Alzheimer's walk on 10-10-10, I was forced to face some feelings I have tucked away. My Mom, who is the most beautiful and giving woman I know, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2004.I have been by her side and supportive for most of this time. However, for the past year and a half, I have not. In April 2009, a few weeks before I married Joe, we received a phone call from the care center she was in, that her kidneys were shutting down...she was sick. I left right away and sat up with her all night, I watched the staff check her...once or twice. The next morning, my dad and two of my sisters arrived to see how she was. She was not herself at all... after lunch we left for awhile so she could rest. When we went back, the staff assured us she was going to be ok now and if anything changed, they would call. Dad and one sister went home, I stayed and talked with my other sister awhile. We went to say bye and check Mom one more time. She was very pale and hardly responsive. Her 89 year old roommate asked us, "have they checked your Mom's blood pressure"? Well, we asked. They had not. Tried to say they did during the night..but I was awake and there..so I know they didn't. The nurse checked her bp... 3 times and then said, "I think we have a problem". Mom's bp was 55/30!! We were about to lose her! She was rushed to the hospital and through excellent drs and many many prayers..she recovered. I will always be thankful to her roommate, she saved my mother's life. Since that time.... she has moved to a different nursing home...but I have not seen her. At the hospital, as one might guess, there was alot of stress and family drama, as I call it. My Dad, a sister and I had words....and we left on bad terms. I have not been to see Mom, because I do not want to see my Dad. So I have tucked Mom into my heart and in my head..she is ok. When my friend Bev sent me a message about the walk, it reminded me that Mom is really not ok. She needs me, and I sure need her. It breaks my heart to visit Mom because her memory of us all is gone, she has no idea who we are. She says she doesn't have children, that she is 27 yrs old, and she is always waiting for someone to take her "home". I have a hard time accepting a disease that takes away the person I love most of all....Mom. But attending the walk helped me understand how many other people are also affected by Alzheimer's, that we all need to support one another. That we need the government to support funding to help find medicine and hopefully one day, a cure. I feel like a part of my heart has returned to me and that I have a new passion in my life.... supporting Alzheimer's. I may not be able to turn back time, to bring my Mom, as she was, back to me and my family...but I can learn, teach and support. My Mom is a huge fan of the group Alabama, one of their songs has always reminded me of her...Angels Among Us. All my life, she has been my angel....and now..God has sent another angel to me, named Bev. Bev, you have no idea how you have just changed my life, how your voice has encouraged me and now drives me. I am thankful to have you in my life... and Mom.... I am on my way back into yours... I need you.... I miss you.... I love you!! I will do this for you!! The picture of Mom and I was taken at her last birthday before she was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Alzheimer's Awareness Walk

10-10-10 will be a day to remember for me. I attended the Alzheimer's Awareness Walk in Sigourney, Iowa. Thanks to facebook, I have been in touch with friends from high school, many I have not seen in person for 20 years now. One of my teachers from high school and I talk on fb, and she sent me the information about this walk. At first I was not sure, but something in my heart kept tugging at me to go,so I agreed. This was a difficult decision for me because my mother was diagnosed in 2004 with Alzheimer's. I had a great time at the walk and was proud to support my Mom. I cannot thank you enough Bev for encouraging me to participate.....

United Way

Today I took a 3 hour class to learn how to be a United Way Emergency Volunteer Coordinator. I will be called to help set up and staff the Emergency Volunteer Center (EVC) during times of disaster and recovery. The purpose of the EVC is to coordinate community needs with community volunteers wanting to help with tasks such as sandbagging or cleaning up
EVC volunteers register and screen community volunteers, match them with community needs (nonprofit, government, business and local homeowners), and conduct safety briefings. EVC volunteers help get the right volunteers to the right place at the right time. I am excited to have this knowledge to assist my community, however...I really hope I never have to use it!

ITP Packing with Melrose Meadows

Melrose Meadows, a local retirement community....with the guidance of Jackie, raised/donated $1400.00 to purchase items for soldiers. Then they got to help pack the boxes. Maria took everything there we would need. The ladies put together the boxes and then we all started packing! We also had the help of some students from a local high school. The local TV station came and gave ITP some much needed media attention, which has helped with donations. It was very touching to hear the ladies saying how important it is for them to help, they remember what it was like when their husbands came home from Korea and Vietnam. We had the older generation and the younger generation working together to support the middle generation! It was a very heartfelt experience...it sure makes it even more real when you pack the boxes!

Teaming Up For Iowa Troop Pantry

I decided to do a fundraiser for Iowa Troop Pantry, raising money to get supplies needed for filling the boxes we send to the troops deployed to Afghanistan. I went first to the Iowa City Regina football game(my boys were playing too) and asked people to donate for ITP.... what an amazing response!! $460.00 was raised in approx. 4 hours! I had some help from Janet Keating and her family too, Janet's daughter is one of the 2800 Iowa National Guard Troops we are supporting. The next day, my husband Joe and I went "tailgating for troops" at the Iowa/Penn St football game. We walked among the crazy Iowa fans asking for donations and also enjoying the chance to explain what ITP and Mrs. Midwest US Beauties are. We had great support again and raised an additional $145.00!! I did have one lady ask me if I was actually trying to get beer money!! What! Too funny...nope...just snacks and hygiene items for soldiers. This was a lot of fun, I can't wait until I can do more fundraising!

Iowa City VA Visit September 22, 2010

Today I went to visit my friends at the Iowa City VA Hospital with the QC Vietnam Vet group. I hurt my knee running a few days earlier, which explains the crutches! But I wasn't about to miss one of my favorite events! We took them hats, shirts, jello, pudding, fruit, crackers and even a few teddy bears. This was a hard visit...I met 5 people that had just been diagosed with cancer. 1 man was given 1 to 3 months to live and all his wife wanted was a POW flag...we found one! I met another man named Max, he was suppose to be at the VA for 5 weeks, and was starting chemo the day I was there. He was happy to get a hat and a magazine to read... and an orange! I told Max I lived close and I would come see him the next week. I went on Tuesday... 1 week later, with an orange. Max was sent home 40 mintues before I got there. When I started asking for him..the nurses looked away from me and said, "he just left". "Maybe he was downstairs waiting on the ambulance ride home". What? I thought he was suppose to be here awile, I said. Well, they can't give me his medical info but the looks said enough... I asked if he would be back for treatment...they said "no". Max's cancer is too far gone for treatment...I rushed (as fast as I could on crutches) downstairs but he was gone. I felt like someone punched me in the stomach....I wish I could have seen him one more time and given him the orange. I left it with a nurse..and sent my prayers for Max. Its so fun to meet the Vets at the hospital, but very difficult, when after all they have done for our country....these are the cards they are dealt. Only God knows and understands the plans he has for us... I know though..in heaven....there is no cancer and Max will be ok.

Bridging The Gap-Homeless Veteran Standdown Sept 2010

The Quad Cities held a Standdown for Homeless Vets..... they provided meals, medical check ups, employment information, housing assistance, help getting information on their military records, free clothes, shoes, coats, sleeping bags and hygiene products. They were also were able to take showers. It was great to meet so many Vets but sad they are all homeless. I was a greeter at the door and then helped them all pick out a coat. It was just amazing to see people so thankful and happy to get a used coat. It really puts it in perspective that our homeless vets need help. It was very hard for me to not cry all day, and think about all I have in my life and then about these men and women that have fought for our country and now have to ask for help to even shower. No Veteran should have to be in this situtation....ever. I hope that I can help them in some way... and if you even have clothes you don't wear anymore...please consider donating them to a shelter...especially larger clothes. They were in high demand!