Day before yesterday, my new SIL received news that her 45 year old brother had died in the E.R. from a heart attack. The family was not speaking to the brother, so now she and her sisters have to deal with an angry SIL and family turmoil. Then my sister-in-law's sister received a call that her husband's sister had died from a heart attack on the same day her brother died! The sister's husband and sons are camping, so I don't know if she's been able to locate them yet.

Today I took my mother to the Dr. I knew she'd been acting a little confused lately, but put it down to stress. She had a mini stroke and didn't tell anyone!!!!!!! She had major strokes and heart attacks before. She just decided not to tell on herself! We almost lost her last Christmas because she hid that she was so sick and she didn't get to come home for four months.

We all talk to her at least once a day, usually a couple times a day. I wanted to shake her to get her attention so she would understand that she can't do that any more!!!!! She has to quit hiding things.

Your good thoughts and/or prayers will be greatly appreciated. My SIL is having a hard time. Here I thought she was hard hearted and she isn't. She's just as vulnerable as the rest of us. She lost her beloved mother two years ago and now her brother.

Please pray and/or send good thoughts to Mom. She is so focused on our loved one who's in Iraq that she thinks any call she gets that she doesn't recognise will be from him or about him. She's not sleeping. She's not eating right.

She has always listened to my brother in the past and now she isn't. I have one person I know that I can persuade to go talk to her but it won't be until next week. Meanwhile, I take her back to the Dr. next Thursday for tests on her carotid (sp?) arteries. She sat and told the Dr. she had no blockages and she's had one in her neck for years!

Please send good thoughts and/or prayers for my SIL and her family, my Mom and our loved one in Iraq.

Bless you and thank you to all who take the time to read this. You honor my family and me by your kindness.

Hugs,

Jan