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December 2008
Violetta's New Family Addition
Violetta welcomes a new great-grandaughter. Terry's
granddaughter has been added to the family, Zoriah Alina
Caballero. Zoriah Alina's parents are Aletta and Pedro
Caballero. (Click on picture to enlarge)
I just learned about the death of a
cousin, Ivy Robbins Potter. I sent a Christmas card to
her and her husband, and her daughter, Pam, wrote back and
told me of Ivy's passing. She didn't have my address
or phone number since I moved to Michigan. My
condolences to Ivy's family. Her obituary is below.
Iva
Irene Potter
Date of
Birth--August 15, 1922
Date of
Death--January 19, 2008
Service: 11 AM January 22, 2008 at Marshall Branch
Worship Center
Presiding: Allen Culbertson & Hubert Potter
Interment: Annie E Young Cemetery
Family
Arlie
Potter, Husband; Arnold Ray Potter, son; Ralph Lee Potter,
Son; Arlie potter Jr, son; Charlcie Beyersdoerfer, daughter;
Pam Belcher, daughter; Charles Thomas Robbins, brother;
Dollie Jenkins, sister; Gloria Marie Robbins, sister;
Seventeen grandchildren; Twenty-three great-grandchildren;
Ten great-great grandchildren
October 2008
Being a
two-time breast cancer survivor makes the following story of
Clydette more poignant for me.
.…Delores
Breast Cancer survivor
by ~Clydette Huddleston~
Life is ever changing. Many times we welcome these changes
and many times we do not. On May 15th, 2001, my life began
changing dramatically and leading me down a path that I had
not chosen.
“The biopsy of your breast shows you have breast cancer,”
the doctor said as I lay in a post-anesthesia stupor. My
mind was flooded with thousands of thoughts:
“Not me; it couldn’t be me. Surely there is a mistake. I
don’t want to have breast cancer. Is there any chance that
there has been a mistake? Lord, please let it be a mistake!”
The next several months were filled with a multitude of
doctor’s appointments, consultations with various medical
professionals, multiple surgeries, complications,
chemotherapy, and finally the diagnosis became a reality to
me. The path to recovery had many twists and turns including
a recurrence eighteen months after my initial surgery.
I read once that the only thing worse than being told you
have cancer is being told you have cancer for a second time.
Another course of surgeries, radiation, and chemotherapy
ended in April of 2004. I have often said that cancer was
not a path I would have chosen, but would not have missed
the many blessings that came with the journey. Along the
way, God has shared many blessings with me to include a
renewed relationship with Him as well as with my husband and
children. He has blessed me with renewed friendships and
brand new friendships.
I have been surrounded by unimaginable love.
Throughout my treatment, there have been
“top-of-the-mountain” times and there have been
“lowest-of-the-valley times.” One of the gifts that that I
have been given the opportunity to begin a new vocation. I
now counsel women and men who are beginning the journey
through cancer diagnosis and treatment. Burlington Pharmacy
Healthcare and St. Luke hospital have provided me the
opportunity to manage a store that specializes in providing
products that will help patients through difficult times. I
will continue to find ways in which I can help others battle
this horrible disease called Cancer.
“The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation
for goodness”
~The Dali Lama
.....Clydette
Huddleson
Clydette died October 20, 2008
Clydette Huddleston
Clydette was the niece of my deceased husband, T. C.
Whitaker. She was the daughter of Helen (Whitaker) and
Clyde Mullins.
There
are pictures of Helen and T. C, also of Clydette and her
family at Elizabeth and Tim's wedding on
my page
near the bottom of that page.
Clydette’s story was shared by her sister, Lura VanTime.
Clydette and I emailed back and forth until she became too
ill. She was always very positive and upbeat, and put her
trust in her Lord no matter the outlook. Clydette will be
missed by her family and many friends. My heartfelt
condolences to her husband, Frazier; daughter, Elizabeth
(husband Tim Feldbreugge); and son, Michael. Elizabeth and
Tim welcomed their new triplets just three weeks before
Clydette’s death.
Lura’s comments: “She was an amazing woman and we were
blessed to have shared our lives with her. She was a devoted
Christian who was surrounded with an abundance of love while
on this earth. Our hearts are broken and we will forever
feel a void in our lives, however, the sorrow we experience
is for us and we take comfort in knowing that she is now at
peace now and reunited with loved ones who have gone on
before.”
September 2008
I haven't received much news from family for 2008.
I will add a little of my own. As my family and
friends know, I have been hearing impaired for most of my
life; and for the past ten to twelve years, even two hearing
aids were not able to help me much, especially with
conversation. Periods of dizziness is common for folks
with hearing impairment, as it was with me. However,
the severity of one sent me to the emergency room and an
overnight stay in the hospital. Sounds like a 'bad
deal,' doesn't it? Well, it wasn't fun, but good did
come of it.
From one doctor to another, to another sent me finally to
Michigan Ear Institute in Farmington Hills, Michigan and Dr.
Michael LaRouere. I was told that I was a good
candidate for a cochlear implant. Of course, I was
vaguely familiar with implants; but didn't serious consider
one for myself. After an examination and some testing,
Dr. LaRouere convinced me that I really was a good
candidate.
On July 7, the surgery was performed at Providence Hospital
in Detroit. Except for the lingering bad effects of
anesthesia (which is 'normal' for me), the surgery went
well. I did loose residual hearing in my left ear due
to the implant, but I only got noises (if loud) in that ear
so not much loss.
On August 15, I was 'hooked up' (implant activated); and
much to my surprise, I understood conversation immediately
with only the implant (not the right hearing aid). My
sister, Lorinda, and brother-in-law, Jerry, accompanied me
for the activation and I heard and understood both of them.
Admittedly, they both sounded like Donald Duck but I
understood them.
"Donald Duck" and "Mickey Mouse" voices are common at
the onset of activation as the brain is working to learn to
recognize the new sounds it is hearing and trying to
assimilate. I could hear Lorinda and Jerry talking in
the van on the way home from where I was sitting in the back
seat. A motorcycle passed us and it sounded like a bee
on steroids. (grin)
I returned to MEI for mappings. The first mapping was
just an open program with different volumes and the first
week was quite an adventure! Sounds that I had not
heard in many, many years (some maybe never) were
surrounding me. The next map was more adventuresome
with programs for different settings. I have four
programs available.
The last mapping was August 29. After 'tweaking' my
settings and changing some, my audiologist, Sandra Porps,
put me in the sound booth for a test. I had a test
before surgery with two hearing aids and scored -0-%.
Sandra told me that she expected me to score about 70% at
the end of six months which would be in January 2009.
At the end of the test, she gave me the good news that I had
scored 86% after only less than a month from activation!!
Voices are beginning to sound normal and the background
noises are finding their place in the background and not
noticeable as my brain gets used them. I can now hear
the sermons at church which I had not done in several years.
Lorinda took notes for me as Jerry preached so I would have
an idea what the subject was and highlights of the sermon.
My friend, Jean Tackett, took notes for me in Kentucky
before I moved to Michigan.
I hear the timer on my stove; can't remember how long it has
been since I heard that! I talk to Lorinda on the cell
phone, and I haven't talked on the phone in probably 10-12
years. I am getting my nerve up to call others besides
Lorinda.
What an amazing, miraculous journey I am on! And it is
just beginning. I am told by my doctor and audiologist
that things only get better as time goes on.
My next mapping is in October, and I am looking forward to
more improvements!!
Thank God for giving some of the earthlings wisdom in
technology and the push to pursue the fields that he gave
them leanings toward to make such things possible.
I will update this occasionally, if you want to come back.
As time permits, I will add implant information on the
"Hearing" pages in this web site.
August 2008
I learned that Mike Adams will be coming home from Iraq in
time for Thanksgiving. I am sure it will be a
wonderful homecoming and time for 'thanksgiving' by his
parents, Phil and Cathy, his wife and daughter, Heather and
Emma, and his sister, Allison.
February
2008
Emma Nicole's Arrival
Robert and Ona Blaine became great-grandparents this month.
We are saddened that they both left us before they could see
this beautiful child; but grandparents, Phil and Kathy Adams,
are proud as punch to present us with their first grandchild,
Emma Nicole, who came a little early on February 21, weighing in at
6.9 pounds and 19 inches "tall." She and mom, Heather,
were supposed to wait for dad, Mike, to get there from Iraq in
time for the birth,
but they decided to surprise him and just be waiting for his hugs
when he arrived.
More pictures on "Younger
Generation" page.
Click on Emma's picture to enlarge
Note: You can see Mike and his company
in Iraq on my web site.
Click here: "There's
Good News - Support Our Troops
page.
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Kelsey
and Lillie
Adams Family
