Throw UP Thursday!

TBT: On this very date in 1984

Family Reunion at The Farm

Moi-45, Jennifer-12, Mark-26

Mark & Karen Rivard-23, Pammie-two days shy of 25

A few months before the birth of my first grandchild.

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On my way over to Jen's house, I stopped in Brighton and dropped off all my forms, paperwork, credit report, debt counseling certification, CHECK, at the attorney's office.  He will pick it up tomorrow, get all the paperwork filled out and I will meet with him next week to sign and file for bankruptcy.

I picked-up Pammie and the kids and off to the Putt-Putt course we went.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunny, not too hot--77degrees.  Well--I was fine through the first 11 holes, we were having a ball and Andrew wasn't too snippy to Elise--I don't know these two hate each other, but they do.

Pammie and Evan were on the hole behind us for the first nine, then I had them come up and play along with us.  I bent over on the 12th hole mat to put down my ball and...little white dots in front of my eyes, dizzy, and pain in the skull bones behind my ears.  I thought I was going to throw-up.  I recognized the symptoms.  Heat stroke.

I teetered a bit and Andrew said, "Mimi, are you all right?"  Then Pam looked at me and said, "Mom, your face is all red, except you are white around your mouth and eyes."

So I turned the crowd over to Pam--THANK GOD she was with me--and headed back to the office.  Every time I came to a utility pole, I'd stand in its shade for a few minutes.  I think, it might have been the longest walk I have taken in the last two years!

Into the ladies room--stuck my head under the cold water tap and just stood bent over like that for a minute.  I knew I was dehydrated too.  

I do not sweat, so the heat builds up inside me until I am near collapse.  It didn't used to bother me so much, but the last couple of years, especially if I am doing anything outside in the sun, I get sick.

I had my first attack when I was fifteen.  Helping my Dad fill the silo--I was up near the top, tramping down the silage and trying to keep it level.  It was near 120 degrees in there.  I managed to get down that long outside ladder on the side of the silo and headed toward the house.  I could barely hear my Dad, yelling at me to "get back up there" and throwing stones at me.  When I got to the house, my Mother opened up the back door and I fainted, flat on my face.

The next thing I knew, I was laying in the hammock, outside under the shade of the Maple tree and my Grandma was putting cool compresses on my face, the back of my neck and body.  I guess I was out for almost an hour.

I was sick in bed for three days.  Kind of out of it.  They finally got the doc out there and he said I had suffered a heat stroke and to keep me out of the sun and I wasn't to go back up into the top of the hot silo ever again.

Ever since then--I cannot take the outside heat.  Gladly today, there was very little humidity or I would have gone down a lot earlier.

Pam and the kids finally came in, about a half hour later and we headed back to the house.  I was still dizzy, but didn't let on.  We figured up our scores and Elise and I beat Andrew and Alex--even giving me 6 shots on the holes I didn't play.  

There was a comment,"Girls rule--Boys drool" from Elise and me.

The kids all thanked me for taking them and I think they had a good time--I know little Evan did.  When we got back to the house, all of a sudden, he started talking to me!  He has been shy because he hardly knows me, but, all of a sudden, he was calling me Mimi and yakking away and wanted me to go upstairs and see his room, which I did.

Today made me realize one thing though--I am officially old!!!  I can't do that sort of thing with them anymore.  BUT--at least, when they move, they will have one more memory of their Michigan Mimi!  and that is what today was all about!

Pammie said, "Evan, say cheese."

and he would, then when she clicked

the camera, he'd look up.

So I have no picture of his darling face.

Andrew 12, Elise 10, Alex 7 

Evan-2 and Pammie, two days shy of 55