Its been a long, long two weeks. It started with phone call on February 17 from the nursing home about my mother needing to go to Urgent Care. It was discovered she was battling Pneumonia. This was accomplished and she was taken back to the home after a healthy dose of antibiotic. All was well for the moment, until the next day February 18th....this trip sent her to the hospital via the ambulance. After a exhaustive search for the right antibiotic combo and trying to drain the lung with no luck she was brought back to the nursing home she has lived in for the past 2 years to be placed into comfort care on February 28th.
Mom was born on June 11th, 1926 (she is 91) in Francesville, IN to George and Marie Pfledderer. She came from a proud German family of 16 siblings and she was third from the bottom. When she was three she stepped out on the front porch of the farm house and promptly fell through a rotten board. Her leg was broken in two spots, and her family struggled with the care of her leg. She ended up in Chicago at a private hospital run by Dr. Davis. There was no antibiotic in 1929 to combat the infection, but she prevailed to make it through with what drugs & treatments they did have for her. In the 1940"s she was given this new fangled form of powered penicillin that was being developed for the soldiers on the battle fields around the world during WW II. She had developed osteomalitis by then ( a form of bone eating bacteria) and it did the trick and her life was saved. She spent the next 3 decades battling flare ups of the disease. After taken so many doses of Penicillin, she became allergic to it and it no longer works for her. She then had to rely on man made antibiotics.
mom in 1944
She spent her life in Francesville and literally grew up next door (next farm over) to my father (he was born on October 8th, 1924). They were married on April 6, 1947 after dad returned from the war, and moved to Rensselaer, IN some 20 miles away. The marriage produced 4 children, 3 live births and one still born. They spent nearly 60 years together raising their family, running two business' (mom owned a beauty shop, and dad had a TV repair shop in his spare time from his day job), and having fun with their family and friends until 1965. We were a tight knit group, and still are despite the miles between us. My brother, Alan, my sister, Nancy and of course me had a very good time of it and great stories to tell. The memories will live on forever of time spent with family and friends alike. I refer to Indiana as my birth state, where all my relatives live.
Wedding in 1947
In April of 1965 we moved from Indiana to Minnesota after they bought a summer family fishing resort on Lake Osakis that they ran for 29 years, and then retired back to Indiana in the late 1990's. They returned to spend what time was left with siblings & friends and reconnect with their roots of long ago. They were both just Indiana farm kids coming home to roost. Dad became ill and was placed in a nursing home in 2004. He died in October 2006. The love of mom's life was gone and she was lost. He was her rock and caretaker. When all else failed to calm her in a crisis, dad would magically do the duty. Its been nearly 12 years and I really don't think she is over it yet.
Lake Osakis, MN
As I was sitting in her room at the home today it came to mind all the things mom has taught me over the past 60 years of my life. My knowledge of cooking, baking, gardening (both flowers & vegetables), canning said veggie garden, cleaning, laundry and of course the all important shopping trips to find the best bargains out there. All of these things and many more were lovingly handed down to me and I use many of these teaching tactics to this day. I've had many days to reflect on memories of family functions, holidays, and vacations through out the years. All of which I hold near & dear to my heart, and will pass those stories on to my 3 Hearts. In mom's final hours on earth, I'm reminded of my father teaching us at home from the Bible on many subjects (he was a church elder in IN), and they are coming now to comfort me. As dad would have said: "She is making the journey home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and will spend all of eternity with family and friends that have gone before her." My father was steadfast, calm and quite man. He never waivered from God and his love and always believed that his Lord was watching over his children when we weren't with him. Not matter what we got into. I find the older I get the more I've become my father. The rock and steadfast keeper of the faith in the family.
Mom, may your journey be effortless and quick,. I know you are ready to go home and see your Lord and Dad! Oh and don't forget, your family will be there right behind them waiting for that hug! This is not a good-bye to you mom, this is a "See you later Alligator, after while Crocodile" moment. We loved that saying....we'd laugh and laugh and laugh on that one!
December 31st, 2017
Blessings to you all,
Jan
3 Hearts Vintage
Mom was born on June 11th, 1926 (she is 91) in Francesville, IN to George and Marie Pfledderer. She came from a proud German family of 16 siblings and she was third from the bottom. When she was three she stepped out on the front porch of the farm house and promptly fell through a rotten board. Her leg was broken in two spots, and her family struggled with the care of her leg. She ended up in Chicago at a private hospital run by Dr. Davis. There was no antibiotic in 1929 to combat the infection, but she prevailed to make it through with what drugs & treatments they did have for her. In the 1940"s she was given this new fangled form of powered penicillin that was being developed for the soldiers on the battle fields around the world during WW II. She had developed osteomalitis by then ( a form of bone eating bacteria) and it did the trick and her life was saved. She spent the next 3 decades battling flare ups of the disease. After taken so many doses of Penicillin, she became allergic to it and it no longer works for her. She then had to rely on man made antibiotics.
mom in 1944
Wedding in 1947In April of 1965 we moved from Indiana to Minnesota after they bought a summer family fishing resort on Lake Osakis that they ran for 29 years, and then retired back to Indiana in the late 1990's. They returned to spend what time was left with siblings & friends and reconnect with their roots of long ago. They were both just Indiana farm kids coming home to roost. Dad became ill and was placed in a nursing home in 2004. He died in October 2006. The love of mom's life was gone and she was lost. He was her rock and caretaker. When all else failed to calm her in a crisis, dad would magically do the duty. Its been nearly 12 years and I really don't think she is over it yet.
Lake Osakis, MNAs I was sitting in her room at the home today it came to mind all the things mom has taught me over the past 60 years of my life. My knowledge of cooking, baking, gardening (both flowers & vegetables), canning said veggie garden, cleaning, laundry and of course the all important shopping trips to find the best bargains out there. All of these things and many more were lovingly handed down to me and I use many of these teaching tactics to this day. I've had many days to reflect on memories of family functions, holidays, and vacations through out the years. All of which I hold near & dear to my heart, and will pass those stories on to my 3 Hearts. In mom's final hours on earth, I'm reminded of my father teaching us at home from the Bible on many subjects (he was a church elder in IN), and they are coming now to comfort me. As dad would have said: "She is making the journey home to her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and will spend all of eternity with family and friends that have gone before her." My father was steadfast, calm and quite man. He never waivered from God and his love and always believed that his Lord was watching over his children when we weren't with him. Not matter what we got into. I find the older I get the more I've become my father. The rock and steadfast keeper of the faith in the family.
Mom, may your journey be effortless and quick,. I know you are ready to go home and see your Lord and Dad! Oh and don't forget, your family will be there right behind them waiting for that hug! This is not a good-bye to you mom, this is a "See you later Alligator, after while Crocodile" moment. We loved that saying....we'd laugh and laugh and laugh on that one!
December 31st, 2017
Update: Mom passed peacefully on March 7th, 2018 in her sleep at 5am.
Blessings to you all,
Jan
3 Hearts Vintage
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