OLD SCARS

April 25, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

Recently, I bought a pretty new dress on an impulse.  It is a long dress which most of mine are now.  One reason I wear long dresses is I don't like short dresses because my knees have scars from an accident I had over 80 years ago.  The accident was caused by myself.

I lived with my family in East Tennessee.  I was a small child and riding my bike when I suddenly had an impulse to try riding with my hands off the handle bars.  My tiny body was sent over the handle bars.  Blood spurted out of my knees.  When I managed to return home, pushing my bike, my mother "doctored my knees" and bandaged them.  Back then, mother's didn't take their children to a doctor's office.  My mother was upset because I was scheduled to perform, with other children from my elementary school in a play.  She had sewn my costume.  So, that afternoon I performed with my knees bandaged.  It's been 80 plus years, and I still have the scars on my knees.

These days I have arthritis in my knees.  Some days the pain is almost unbearable.  Barry wonders if the pain is caused from my childhood accident.  I don't know if that's why I have arthritis in my deformed hands.

The weather has been wonderful this week.  Our trees have all turned green and the yard looks pretty.  Barry bought new flowers for the patio and took the house plants out to the patio over the weekend.  Happy Spring!

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

THE MYSTERY

April 18, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

The mystery began while Tam was cleaning out a large, metal filing cabinet in my office.  She came across a large manila envelope.  Curious, she removed a 8 X 10 photograph of myself.  It wasn't like any photograph that I had made.  She showed it to me.  I had no memory of when the picture was taken.  It was obviously made by a professional photographer.  Their was no name of the photographer on the photograph.  The reason I was intrigued was because the picture seemed to have been made when I was in my late 30's or early 40's.  I looked like a model, as the picture was air brushed erasing any imperfections I had at the time.  My hair was a light auburn and cut in a style similar to the one I have now.

When I wrote a daily newspaper column I changed the picture that appeared with my article often but I'm sure I never used this one.  Tam put the picture in a frame and placed it on top of a chest of drawers with some other pictures.  I have racked my brain, trying to remember when the picture was made.  I don't remember the clothes I was wearing in the picture.  I guess it will remain a mystery.

I recently went to my primary care doctor for my three month check-up.  I had a good report, but feel frustrated as most of my ailments are labeled "old age" with nothing to worry about.  For instant, I'm having a popping and aching in my neck, which the doctor said is due to arthritis and age, same for my knees.  My main problem currently is my nerves.  The doctor thinks it is caused by my COPD medicine that I use with my nebulizer.  I've changed the medicine and am feeling better.

Yesterday, Barry bought a large weather station for the table next to my recliner.  It displays the day of the week so I won't get confused which day it is.  I have been told other seniors have trouble remembering the day of the week when they wake up in the mornings.  We have a bunch of weather stations in different rooms in our house.  We're also a "house of clocks".

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

HOOKED ON STARBUCKS

April 11, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

I was never a true coffee lover until Barry introduced me to Starbucks brew, and I was "hooked".

Recently, my primary care doctor prescribed a new breathing nebulizer treatment.  It works wonderful but makes me extremely nervous.  That medicine along with the caffeine in my coffee was too much for my nervous system.

I had been drinking coffee only on weekend mornings and could handle that.  But, I enjoyed it so much I started drinking a large cup every morning. And then I thought I would need to cut out the coffee.

As Barry has said, I am 88 years old and I have very few things I can enjoy any more.  So, he bought me a bag of caffeine free Starbucks coffee.  I tried a cup Sunday morning and liked it.  So far my stomach or nerves haven't bothered me.

Several years ago, I started drinking Gatorade in the mornings for my IBS.  Then, Barry had trouble locating the flavor I like.  I tried different ones and one recent day it caused me to be nauseated, and I vomited.  Barry searched and found the one I like.  They are only available in a large size.  So, he bought two small water bottles.  He will fill them for me as needed and keep them in the refrigerator.  I hope they will solve the problem.

Barry is such a good son and I tell him there must be a special place in heaven for people like him.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)

VIEWS OF HEAVEN & HELL FROM A CHILD

April 6, 2016

By Olivene Godfrey

When I was a small child, I had a vivid imagination.  My parents took me and my twin sisters to Sunday School each week.  So, I had some knowledge of Jesus Christ and religion in general.  As I look back on that period of my life, I recall that I had some pretty wild "beliefs".  I was fascinated by the description of heaven and hell.  I remember one day asking my mother what "heaven" was like.  She told me her "belief", that heaven was like floating around on puffy clouds in the sky.  I "pondered" that for awhile and one day I told her that I didn't want to float around in the sky on clouds.  I don't think she knew how to reply.  Later, I heard her and my daddy discussing our conversation and finally decided not to discuss the subject again until I was older.

Then, I began to wonder what that scary place called "hell" was like.  I asked my mother one day.  She said she had always believed it would be like a giant lake of "chocolate fudge", like she cooked on a hot stove.  I remember how the hot fudge would bubble up and looked very scary.  I decided at that moment to be a "good little girl".  To this day, I believe down deep inside me that "hell" is like a lake of hot fudge and I don't want to go to that place.  I'd much rather float on a cloud and read a book.  Later, I read about heaven's streets of gold and fine mansions, and I want to spend eternity there with Jesus Christ and the angels.

But, not yet.  I love my earthly home and life with my son, Barry, who is so good to me in my old age.  And I don't want to leave Tam, my wonderful caregiver and personal assistant and dear friend.

For a number of years, I taught a Sunday School kindergarten class at the Chatsworth First United Methodist Church.  The three and four year old students were adorable and a joy to be around and to hear their views on Jesus and their daily life.

See you next time.  Comments welcome.  (Edited and typed by Tam.)