Your drugs or your baby?

After a CFS investigation of one of our new moms, the choice was presented to her to either give up her meth and her child-molesting boyfriend or lose her baby. Well she certainly could not give up her drugs and to ask her to leave her boyfriend....the love of her life......unthinkable! After making her decision, she was told she could be discharged that afternoon but, alas, the "love of her life" wouldn't come pick her up..........what is wrong with these women?

Southern Oregon

Ahhhhh, nothing like a spontaneous, carefree weekend getaway! We left friday evening for Ashland and caught the opening night performance at the outdoor Elizabethan theater of Henry VIII. Yes, it was raining and there was a touch of lightning, but our "cheap" seats were under the balcony so we stayed completely dry:) I don't know who I felt more sorry for...the patrons who paid top dollar for their rain drenched seats or the actors in their heavy rain-soaked period costumes? Saturday we went to Jacksonville and caught their parade celebrating Oregon's 150th birthday. Great parade, streets lined with people who all knew each other, complete with a HILARIOUS outhouse race. The winners...... the local sewer service company of course!
Sunday morning we slept in and watched the start of the Nascar race, then headed back to Ashland where we finished watching the super exciting race (congrats to Mark Martin!!) over burgers and chicken strips at Louie's Bar before catching another play (Macbeth). Obviously too much Shakespeare in one weekend for Bubba, who tortured me on our walk through Lithia Park afterward by speaking in mock Shakespeareanese! hee hee Still, nothing can spoil walking through Lithia Park while eating a carmel chocolate apple from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory! Next time we will go to the cabaret dinner theater.....and maybe see a non-Shakespeare play;)

Can you help?

Jeremy and Leah Tuggle are expecting identical twins, Carson and Jason. However, doctors have diagnosed Jason with anencephaly. This condition is incompatible with life. Every effort is being made to keep the babies in the womb until 32 weeks gestation to allow Carson to develop. Carson is expected to be a healthy baby boy. Jason may survive for a few days, or only a few hours. Both parents work minimum wage jobs and times are difficult. Leah will be hospitalized in Sacramento for a considerable amount of time and Jeremy wants to be there at Leah's side to support her. Lawncrest Chapel in Redding will donate a major amount of costs associated with burial, but approximately $1,100 will not be covered. If you can help, please send contributions to N&N Inc. (for Tuggle twins) PO Box 494730 Redding, CA 96049

To The Child In My Heart

O Precious tiny, sweet little one

You will always be to me

So perfect, pure and innocent

Just as you were meant to be.

We dreamed of you and your life

And all that it would be

We waited and longed for you to come

And join our family.

We never had the chance to play,

To laugh, to rock, to wiggle.

We long to hold you, touch you now

And listen to you giggle.

I'll always be your mother.

He'll always be your dad.

You will always be our child,

The child we had.

But now you're gone.....but yet you're here.

We'll sense you everywhere.

You are our sorrow and our joy

There's love in every tear.

Just know our love goes deep and strong.

We'll forget you never-

The child we had, but never had,

And yet will have you forever.

author: Carol Parrott

Now that I am home, I have more time for family and fun:) We headed up to Oak Run for a family BBQ at the home of John Henry and Kansas Simonis.

Aunts and uncles traveled from Martinez to Redding for a weekend of catching up on the family stories, looking at old pictures and enjoying each others company.

We toured the Snow Mountain Spring Water plant located nearby....600 gallons an hour of pure spring water.....WOW! Fun day, great people, beautiful country.....it's good to be home!

Good-bye Clearlake

To end on a positive note, these are the things I will miss.....
nice deliveries with Dr Fordham, Dr Shepherd and Sharon CNM......
my trailer park friends....
waking up and looking out my window at beautiful Clear Lake......
driving through all the gorgeous vineyards......
some very sweet patients.........
Leslie's big heart.........and her yummy food:)......
being entertained by Bill........
Tiffany's positive attitude........
Karen's beautiful eyelashes and personality to match......
Kathie's energy.........
Alecia's sense of humor...........
the always kind words of Chris and Kariann..........
Sherretha's sarcasm (oh we do think alike!).....
Penny's raunchy stories.......
the smell of lavender when Debby enters the room......
Leeann's ability to find ANYTHING on the internet......
heart to heart talks with Darlene.........
"squirt gun" fights with Sharon.......
I will miss all the laughs, but I will always have the memories:)

Last night.....

Well, I just had my last delivery in Clearlake and it was one of those really good ones where mom's teeth are all rotten from years of meth use and her other three children have been removed by CPS, but she's "going to try to keep this one". NO coping skills whatsoever.....swearing like a sailor......slamming her hand against the bed rail....holding her breath.....all while her 12 family members who are packed in the room with us just stand there and stare at her while they tell stories of their own deliveries. Of course one of them has a toddler with her that she is letting crawl around on the NASTY hospital floor, crying because he is tired and it is 10 o'clock at night! Get me out of here!

Final Week

This is the last week of my assignment in Clearlake. The ending is always bittersweet.......I'm glad to have a break for the summer to just work my part-time job, but I will miss the wonderful new friends I have made here. The staff here have made me feel so welcome, just like I am part of the family. I plan to spend some time blogging about my hometown and my job at home over the summer. Redding is such a beautiful northern California town with so much to offer. I am also anxious to use my RV for some true recreation, not just to live in while I am working! Of course that will have to wait until I get my water leak repaired which I have temporarily remedied with some duct tape and a large ziplock baggie:)