Reunion 2008

Saturday the Wilson Family Reunion was held in Childress. I think I heard about 45 adults showed up. The next one will be held in 2010 and the Joe Wilson, Jr. family will be hosting it. Here are a few pics:

Melba, Ean and Joe, Jr.

The Joe Wilson, Jr. Family

Leon Wilson Family

Melba Helm Family

Here are just a few random pics:

I know Randy was the first one to blog about the reunion and I will give him credit for that....he FINALLY updated his blog !!! ha ha

Daddy has done really well after his heart attach. He had two more stints put in on December 11, 2008 and came thru the surgery without any hitches. The hospital was very busy and he finally got moved to a room Thursday night around 8:30 p.m. I left Wichita Falls around 6:30 p.m. because I had to work Friday. The first time he was there and all of us were there with him, he had a small hospital room. This time he said the room was very big. That figures, he was there by himself.

Todd called Monday night and told me he had a new grandbaby. Alissa (Diana's Daughter) gave birth to a baby boy. The baby was born around 5:30 p.m. on Monday and he weighted 8 lbs and ? I don't remember all the details and my notes are at the house. But Mommy and baby are doing well. Alissa is a small girl and the baby was pretty big but they didn't have to do a C-section. I haven't visited with Diana yet but I do know there is one proud grandpa (Todd). Todd said that daddy and Ronnie were going to go to see the baby on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Everyone else seems to be doing OK.

As far as we know all of Daddy's family will be at Childress on the 27th. Looking forward to seeing everyone.

Merry Chirstmas and Happy New Year

Out of Surgery

Mom just called back and one artery was 100% blocked and they put a stint in. This one is the one that caused heart attack. The other artery is 90+% blocked and will wait about 3 weeks before they put a stint in it. The Dr. says his arteries are no good because of his diabetes so they want to wait. On a brighter note...No heart damage !!!! Heart looks good !!!!

He is now back in his room.

Just a side note: Ronnie had another seizure this morning and is pacing the floor to go to the hospital. Susan stayed home to be with Ronnie. Fred, Todd, and Mom are trying to keep Ronnie at home today so that he can rest and Fred has promised Ronnie he will take him to the hospital tomorrow if he will just stay at home today.

Grandad Airlifted to Wichita

Grandad was taken to the ER in Vernon last night and after an EKG, blood work, four nitro pills and morphine he was airlifted to Wichita Falls. He spent the night in pain. They currently have him on a Nitro drip and are working him in for an angiogram. He is still in pain and they feel like something else is going on. Just got a call from mom: Grandad's dr., Dr. Samuelson, said he definately had a heart attack. They do not know the extent or the damage yet and gave him two options: 1) Get over this one and go home or 2) Perform a Cardiac Cath (angiogram) to see how much damage has been done and go from there. Grandad told the Dr. that he was in the Dr.'s hands and to do what he thought was necessary. Dr. Samuelson said going home would NOT be a good choice. Mom informed me that they had already signed the paper work to do the Cath so Dr. Samuelson had ordered it before talking to Grandad. Dr. Samuleson does not perfom Cardiac Cath's so he has recommended Dr. Desiree (sp). Dr. Desiree is the Dr. that performed Albert's surgery and is an excellent surgeon. Mom said Grandad was still NOT comfortable and they had increased the Nitro drip 3 times with no relief so they have ordered more morphine. The Cath will be performed sometime today. They are waiting on Dr. Desiree now.

VETERANS DAY !!

Veterans Day is a day to reflect and remember those men, women, children, fathers, mothers, sons, daughters and friends who serve the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA !! They serve and sacrifice so that we, the people, have the freedoms that we have. Here is a paratroopers prayer I found:

FORGET-ME-NOT

A poem by Peter S. Griffin

Death found us, on the battlefields of freedom,
Duty, Honor, Country, the noblest of reasons....
Fallen Screaming Eagles, we paid the toll,
Our sacrifices, etched, forever, on our souls....

Engaging battle, from the sky,
Looking death, straight in the eye....
We feared no enemy, on this earth,
On righteousness, Fallen Screaming Eagles perch....

Now we lay silent, in fields of green,
Our children, in FREEDOM, frolic in our dreams....
Eternal peace, granted, by a loving God,
Our highest decoration, the FORGET-ME-NOT, to cover our sod....


Hug a Veteran. Take the time to THANK him/her for everything that they have done so that you and I can have the life that we live. The FREEDOMS we have would not be possible without the life of a Veteran.

THANK YOU !!!

Loss

Susan went to her father's funeral in Amarillo and then on to New Mexico but Big Ronnie was sick and couldn't go. Grandad, Freddie, and Debbie all "baby" sat with him to try and get him back on his feet. He was vomitting and couldn't keep anything down. From what I understand, Ronnie had been in severe pain for a few days and that's what he thought was causing all the vomitting..was the pain. Hopefully everything is back to "normal"....I know "normal" and Big Ronnie in the same sentence is a hard thing to grasp !!! ha ha

Little Ronnie and Pam went to Hobbs for her mother's funeral over the weekend. I think the service was to be on Monday. Maybe Little Ronnie will send me an e-mail to let me know how Pam is doing...hint..hint..

I hope everyone had a safe trip !! We are thinking about each and everyone of you in your time of sorrow.

SYMPATHIES

I have been talking (e-mailing) to Little Ronnie this afternoon and have found out a few things...since NO ONE will bother to tell me anything going on in their lives.

Pam's mother is in the hospital with cancer and is not doing well. Little Ronnie is still working on getting his blood pressure under control but he is doing ok. He said it makes for some craziness in his household right now. We are thinking of you Pam and your family !!!

After I confronted my mother about knowing any of this information she informs me that Susan lost her father yesterday. So Big Ronnie and Susan are headed to Amarillo to be with her family in their time of need. Susan we are thinking about you and your family. Be safe while traveling.

HOME !!!

Well, LaShae is at home. Dad has gone to get her medicine prescription filled and get something to eat. The Dr. told her to eat something with carbs like a baked potato. Mom said she was in some pain and is still groggy and a little nauseated so she went straight to bed.

Out of Surgery

LaShae is out of surgery and in recovery. They removed the gall bladder and a lot (more than expected) of scar tissue from the apendectomy that she had on July 13th. They were able to remove the gall bladder lapriscopically. She should be able to go home in a couple of hours after she wakes up and gets moving around.

LaShae in Surgery

LaShae had to be at the hospital this morning at 8am for gall bladder surgery. I will try to update when I have more information.

Older Pictures

Okay...I have been uploading some pictures to the Wilson Family Website so I thought I would just upload them here too since NO ONE from the Joe Wilson Family will send me information I have to come up with news on my own !! I hope you enjoy traveling through time !!!

Visit to Lubbock

Grandad and Ronnie made a quick trip to Lubbock on Thursday the 24th. They went by the hospital to visit with LaShae while Little Ronnie was still at work. After they left the hopsital they went and visited with Little Ronnie and Pam for a few hours and then headed back to Vernon.

Little Ronnie left Monday morning at 4am to go to Oklahoma for four weeks of training and then off to Georgia for 45 days before being shipped to Iraq. On Saturday there was a big send-off party at the Civic Center in Lubbock and here is an excerpt from the Lubbock Avalanche Journal:

Lubbock cookout honors deploying troops
By Matt Mcgowan | AVALANCHE-JOURNAL
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Story last updated at 7/27/2008 - 3:37 am

When Lubbock sends its men and women off to war, it makes sure they won't be leaving on an empty stomach.

The Lubbock chapter of America Supports You Texas hosted a Return to Duty Cookout on Saturday afternoon at the Memorial Civic Center. It showcased the city's support for more than 150 National Guardsmen from West Texas who will be deployed to Iraq this fall.

The unit, Echo Company of the 2nd Battalion 142nd Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard, is scheduled to leave Monday for a month of training in Oklahoma. It then will go to Georgia to train for 45 days before leaving for Iraq.

The company is scheduled to return in August 2009.

"As citizens, it's our responsibility, and we don't take that duty lightly," said Jack Barnes, president of ASY Texas. "Our country's at war. Our military's at war. There are a lot of people who forget. They've forgotten since 9-1-1. They forget we've got 160,000 troops fighting a war every day. We need to support them. We need to support their families."

The event gave military families an opportunity to spend the day together in a fun, light-hearted way before the company leaves on Monday, the company's 27-year-old commander, 1st Lt. Andrew Badgley, said. Events that show community support bolster troops' morale and remind them of whom and what they're fighting for.

Badgley said about half of the men in his company have been to Iraq before, and the entire company is ready to go.

"The ones who haven't been there are excited to go," he said. "They don't want to be like, Oh, I haven't been there. I've done six years and I haven't been there.' So they're nervous, but, at the same time, they want to go."

About 300 volunteers - including 16 teams of grillers who handed out a wide array of barbecue - participated in the event, Barnes said.

In all, 95 sponsors donated to the event, either through money or services.

Local companies provided everything from inflatable water slides for children to a classic car show for adults. A photography company offered free family portraits for military personnel.

"This is their last day with each other before they have to leave," said Amber Sims, an employee of Niki's Photography who volunteered to help take soldiers' portraits. "This gives them a picture to have with them over there."

As the event came to a close, its organizers handed out care packages that included stationery and Teddy bears with implanted voice recorders, on which soldiers can record a message for their children to listen to while they are away from home.

Sgt. Jerome Larra, 30, who returned from his first deployment in Iraq in 2005, said he and his wife, Debbie, spent Saturday playing with their three children.

"They just kind of go with it," Debbie Larra said about her children when their father deploys. "They are still little. They know he is in the Army and has to go to work for a long time."

Guardsman Pfc. Jake Fluitt, however, said a sad undertone pervaded Saturday's cookout.

"It's sad for a lot of people, I guess," the 20-year-old said. "A lot of people haven't gone, and you have to see them go."

Several city officials attended Saturday's barbecue, including City Councilman Todd Klein and Mayor Tom Martin, who said Lubbock traditionally is a "military town."

Barnes, an Amarillo high school teacher who used to be in the Navy, said Lubbock's patriotism impresses him because the community and its officials never hesitate to "step up" and show support when local troops are called into action.

"If you're in uniform, people are shaking your hand, people are saluting you, people are saying thanks,' " Badgley said. "It is one of the most positive cities I've been in, militarywise."

GOING HOME !!!!

LaShae is finally going home !!! They have removed the Central Line and are waiting IMpatiently for transport to take her to the truck. YEAH !!!

Not Home...

Well, they did the CT Scan this morning and found 2 abcesses in her abdomen. Oral antibiotics won't touch them so they have to treat them with IV antibiotics. They contacted the Surgeon and decided to do a needle aspiration to drain the abcesses. Mom just called and said the nurse told them they should be doing it in the next couple of hours. They will take her down to Radiology to perform the procedure.

At this point Her spirits are low !!! She is sooo tired of being sick and ready to go home. They thought she would be able to be home today...but...not yet. Will just have to see what tomorrow holds.

Home in Sight !!!

Well, Mom just called me and said that they took the drain tube out this afternoon. YEAH!!! The Infectious Disease Doctor said that they will do the CT Scan on Wednesday instead of Friday and if everything looks good on the CT Scan she MAY get to go home Sometime late Wednesday !!!

Update

I spent a couple of hours with LaShae yesterday and she seems to be recovering very nicely. Her color was a lot better and she is off of the oxygen and IV fluids. She still has the central line because they are still giving her pretty much round the clock antibiotics. Yesterday she got up and walked the whole length of the hall down to the elevator (she is in the last room of the hall.) So, that was good. She still is not eating much...food makes her nauseated and nothing smells good or tastes good but they do not seem to be worried about that at all after what she has been through. She is still in some pain and they are primarily controlling that with a pill. Yesterday she slept about 6 to 7 hours. At lunch she was nauseated so they brought her some phenergan and it knocked her out !!!! The nurse said next time they were only going to give her half !!!

Out of ICU !!!!

LaShae got to go to a room around 6pm last night and get out of ICU !!! YEAH !!! Hopefully now she can get some rest. I talked to her this morning and she got to take a shower last night and she said she washed her hair like 5 or 6 times !!! I had to laugh. She said the shower was wonderful !!! She also got to try and eat "real" food...not liquids...and NOT chocolate pudding for breakfast...YUCK !!!

The results of the CT scan showed that she still had fluid on her abdomen and they will continue to watch that and make sure it doesn't turn into an abcess. Her white blood cells were elevated yesterday morning so they are doing a culture to see what is going on there. She is still having some trouble with her breathing but it is MUCH better. She is still on oxygen with the nasal cannula. She is also still having pain issues and now that she is not in ICU she has to wait a longer to get her pain meds when she calls for them. I think Mom is having a harder time dealing with that situation..ya know Mom's tend to be a little impatient when their children need something that will help them !!!

She had several visitors last night so the kids and I didn't go up. Maybe we can all go and see her tonight. Funny story...Maegen just couldn't understand why she couldn't go see LaShae when she was in ICU..and I was trying to explain it to a 6 year old that there are just too many really sick people and we didn't want her to get sick and she just wasn't old enough..well her response was with hands on hip: "When I'm 26 can I go see LaShae?" I just had to laugh...26....where in the world did she get that number from?

Update

LaShae didn't have a very good day yesterday. She is still in ICU. The Doctors called in a Pulmonologist because of her lack of breathing and he felt like she just had fluid on her lungs so he ordered Lasix and another X-Ray today so that he could compare the two and see if it is just fluid and if the Lasix was working. They took the X-Ray at 2am this morning. Her blood count was down again yesterday so they ordered another CT scan and 2 units of blood. Still not sure why her blood count is down and trying to figure that part out. They gave her 1 unit of blood yesterday and will give her 1 unit today. They couldn't find a vein yesterday so they had to take her down and get a sub-clavian (Central Line) put in. After they got the sub-clavian in they were able to get her back on her meds. The Lasix seemed to help tremendously. They were able to wean her off of the rebreather oxygen mask to a regular mask and now she is using the nasal cannula. Mom and Dad said that she looked sooo much better last night at 8pm when they got to see her. We still don't have the results of the CT scan but maybe Mom and Dad can find something out when they get to see her at 10am this morning.

I talked to LaShae this morning and she sounded better. Exausted....but her voice sounded better. Her Surgeon had already been in and said he felt like she could get out of ICU and go to a room. They were waiting on the other 2 Doctors to release her to the floor. She is still on the nasal cannula and her oxygen level was at 91. Her heart rate is still elevated but it is better..it is about 110-113...which is way down from 160 !!! Her blood pressure looks good..so HOPEFULLY today is the day that things will turn around !!!

Update on LaShae

Just a quick update on LaShae. Her appendix ruptured the Doctors think sometime Wednesday. She was prepped for surgery around midnight on Saturday and got out of surgery around 2:20 am Sunday morning. Sunday afternoon she was in a room and her heart rate was sky high around 138 and her oxygen levels were 77...so they moved her to Surgical ICU. Visiting hours in ICU are 10am - 12 pm, 4pm - 6pm, and then 8pm - 10pm then no one can see her until 10 am the next morning. So...Mom and Dad have been staying at LaShae's house in Lubbock and visiting her when they can. In ICU they hooked up a pain pump so that she can administer her own pain medicine when needed and she has been on Oxygen the whole time. Mom called the hospital this morning before shift change and spoke to a nurse who was reading from her chart and said that her pulse rate was down to about 110 and her oxygen level was at 90 and that she would be (HOPEFULLY) moved to a room sometime today. Will try to update again when I know something !!

Visit to Post and Lubbock

Grandad and Sally with LaShae, D'Nae, Rhaeden, Bailey, Maegen and Kayla

Grandad and of course Sally came to Post and then on to Lubbock for a visit this past weekend.

On Saturday he and Mom went to Lubbock to visit with Little Ronnie and Pam. Little Ronnie came in last week and will get to stay home for 3 weeks then he is off to Oklahoma for 4 weeks then to Savannah Georgia to be shipped to Iraq for a year's tour.

On Sunday he was treated to a birthday party for Bailey and Kayla at Mike and Stacy's house. Mike cooked fajitas with all the trimmings and then we had chocolate cake for Bailey and white cake for Kayla.

June 12, 2008

Ronnie had an accident today. He fell and they took him by ambulance to the hospital in Vernon. After x-ray and exam the Dr said his hip wasn't broken just badly bruised. Please keep him lifted up in prayer for fast healing.

Little Ronnie is in Ft Polk, Louisiana preparing to go back to Iraq. I would like to ask everyone for your prayers of protection for him and for his family while he is gone. We were hoping that he would never have to go back there but he will be leaving sometime towards the end of July. This is a difficult time for our family but we are turning this worry over to the Lord.

Daddy is doing very good. We are very blessed for his good health. He is ALL Wilson and does have a stubborn streak a mile long, especially when he does something I don't think he should do. Most of the time he doesn't tell me he has done something that he knows I am going to disapprove of until he has already done it. Can any of you other children relate to my situation.

Cindy

STUBBORN !!

Okay...I KNEW the Wilson's were STUBBORN and HARD HEADED !!! but...come on...I know something has been going on somewhere !!! But...I can't post it because I DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT !!!!

I know my MOM has a lot to post (Dad's mission trip to Uraguay)...but...again...she hasn't posted anything either and I even set up her blog...all she has to do is TYPE !!!

Well, I assume everyone is doing well: Grandad ?? Ronnie and Susan ?? Freddie and Debbie ?? Todd and Diana ?? And apparently NOTHING has happened to anyone in the last few weeks.

Individual Blogs ???

Well, I heard from Freddie on May 24th and he said he was going to do a blog but just didn't know when.

Has anyone else created a blog ? If you need help getting one started just leave a "comment" with your e-mail address and I will get back to you and will try to help you get going !!

This is an easy way to keep everyone informed about what is happening in your family.

Also, any suggestions, pics, or any information you want added to this page is greatly appreciated !! I have a hard enough time keeping up with my "Clan" so any input you can give me to keep this one updated would help me out soooo much !!!

Lake Trip

On April 25th - 27th The Wilson Family met at the Lake in Coriscana for a weekend of visiting and camping. I believe a good time was had by all EXCEPT....What happenes EVERYTIME you plan a camping trip....RAIN....but...I don't think it dampened anyone's spirits. Here are a few of the pics that Mom took with D'Nae's camera. If anyone has more pics...please send them this way !!!

D'Nae, Quilla, LaShae, Susan and Debbie staying cool in the shade !!

Rhaeden making a SPLASH !!!

Hayley and Maegen playing in the Water !!

Rhaeden, Quilla, and D'Nae

Information

Okay...I know I messed up...so I can't type...if you look at the website it is joewilsonjrfmaily.blogspot.com rather than joewilsonjrfamily.blogspot.com BUT if my mother who happens to be in CHARGE of this website would have done this...I wouldn't have messed up !!! ha ha...so once again...I can blame it ALL on her !!! YEAH !!!

Before people start yelling at me about the pics...Let me just say...that is the best that I had. If you happen to have some better pics..or any pics that you would like added just send them to me and I will try and put them up here. If anyone has pics of the lake trip those would be perfect to put on here. Mom thought she took a few with D'Nae's camera so I will try to get those up here if I have any.

BE IT KNOWN !!!! If you want something to be mentioned on here...YOU NEED TO LET ME KNOW !!!!! I need to know information about the family !!! The WHOLE family !!!

I have set up a blog for my family and mom's...so look under the "links" section and click on it and it should take you to our blogs.

Finally, I do NOT want to hear about any griping or moaning going on !! I was TOLD to do this and you all know that I ALWAYS do as I am told !!!