Love is in the air ~ Who will be Glory’s Valentine?
Glory has a big announcement coming up this Thursday on Thursday Barks And Bytes.
Enjoy a week of Valentine themed days ahead.
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Love is in the air. Love is always in the air when it comes to the Sand Spring Chesapeake gang. The love that these dogs give off is unbelievable. They have a love that asks nothing in return. So what does a love like this look like? I made a picture video of some of my favorite pictures that I feel shows the love that my chessies and MK give me and the love I give in return even know they don’t ask for it I give it!
Today is Valentines Day. A day of love. I love that Gambler and Glory will let me dress them up when it comes to Holidays. It takes a special dog to continue to put up with my shenanigans.
MY HEART BELONGS TO A CHESAPEAKE BAY RETRIEVER
A rough and ready sporting dog,
With loyal, loving ways-
My Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Puts sunshine in my days.
A dog that’s sure to follow its nose,
Until the chase is done.
When that pup looked up at me,
I knew my heart was won.
Roaming happily by my side,
Or resting at my feet-
My Chesapeake Bay Retriever
Makes my life complete.
I See Beautiful each and everyday when I have my Chesapeakes by my side.
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My dad was the rock of this family. He had a family, a career, great friends, hobbies he didn’t have a care in the world. He was loving life, until the day his whole life changed. That day would be 8/31/1989 when my dad had a mini stroke. With that stroke and many tests later the final diagnosis was:
Malignant hypertension
Bilateral small intracerebral infarcts
Renal Failure
Bilateral small polycystic kidneys
That was a whole lot of seriousness going on. The stroke really didn’t cause any physical damage but the damage was already done inside. All these problems were most likely brought on my cronic hypertension. Dad never went to the doctor. They call high blood pressure the silent killer as it rarely causes any symptoms until it is too late. This was the start of 5 years in and out of hospitals for various problems.
Since he now had kidney failure he needed dialysis. Back then they started with peritoneal dialysis. This was a dialysis he could do at home.
| Peritoneal dialysis | |
|---|---|
| Intervention | |
 Schematic diagram of peritoneal dialysis |
|
| Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a treatment for patients with severe chronic kidney disease. The process uses the patient’s peritoneum in the abdomen as a membrane across which fluids and dissolved substances (electrolytes, urea, glucose, albumin and other small molecules) are exchanged from the blood. Fluid is introduced through a permanent tube in the abdomen and flushed out either every night while the patient sleeps (automatic peritoneal dialysis) or via regular exchanges throughout the day (continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis). PD is used as an alternative to hemodialysis though it is far less commonly used in many countries, such as the United States. It has comparable risks but is significantly less costly in most parts of the world, with the primary advantage being the ability to undertake treatment without visiting a medical facility. The primary complication of PD is infection due to the presence of a permanent tube in the abdomen. | |
Setting up for dialysis.
I believe he had to do this every 3-4 days. He was only able to this type of dialysis until 5/20/90 when his intestine ruptured and he needed emergency surgery. Now the only option was hemodialysis.
Hemodialysis in progress
Hemodialysis machine
In medicine, hemodialysis (also haemodialysis) is a method that is used to achieve the extracorporeal removal of waste products such as creatinine and urea and free water from the blood when the kidneys are in a state of renal failure. Hemodialysis is one of three renal replacement therapies (the other two being renal transplant and peritoneal dialysis). An alternative method for extracorporal separation of blood components such as plasma or cells is apheresis.
Hemodialysis can be an outpatient or inpatient therapy. Routine hemodialysis is conducted in a dialysis outpatient facility, either a purpose built room in a hospital or a dedicated, stand alone clinic. Less frequently hemodialysis is done at home. Dialysis treatments in a clinic are initiated and managed by specialized staff made up of nurses and technicians; dialysis treatments at home can be self initiated and managed or done jointly with the assistance of a trained helper who is usually a family member.
Dad started out on hemodialysis at Waupun Dialysis Clinic twice a week, as time went by he went to every other day. He would spend 4 hours sitting in a chair getting his blood cleaned. My mom, grandpa and grandpa would take turns driving and hanging out with dad at the clinic. The nurses loved him there as he has such a great sense of humor he was the life of the party on his dialysis days.
I don’t know how he did it but he managed to continue to work, thankfully he had a boss that understood his condition and didn’t let that get in the way of his job. He continued to do the hobbies he loved to do except he did have to retire from the Fire Department. He was on dialysis for 4 years, during this time my mom and grandma got screened to be live donors. My mom found out she had type 2 adult onset diabetes so they wouldn’t accept her. My grandma found out she was borderline diabetic so she couldn’t donate either. This crushed my grandma the most. She pleated with the doctors to let her donate and they wouldn’t budge. She told them that she lived her life and if something happened after the procedure she was ok with that as she had lived her life and she was ok with dying. Anything to let her son live a somewhat normal life. The answer was still no. I also tried to donate but I was only 20 at the time and the doctor said he wouldn’t accept me as I didn’t have children yet and having one kidney is stressful on the body so he didn’t want to take my kidney til after I had kids. If he only knew way back then that I really knew what I was talking about and I didn’t want children. I still don’t have any children and don’t plan on starting now so if he would of only listened to me. That is one of my biggest regrets.
On my dad’s bucket list was to be able to go to Las Vegas. In order for this to happen my mom had to find a clinic near where they were staying and set up his dialysis days. This was easily done and the trip was booked. My mom and dad went on their first trip out of the state since their honeymoon. My dad’s cousin Dick and his wife Sharon went with them. The toured Hoover dam, walked the strip and took in the sites. Little did they know it would be his last trip.
Mom and Dad in Vegas
Since I couldn’t donate one of my kidney’s to my dad I did sign my drivers license and registered with the state of Wisconsin for organ donation. I also am on the National Bone Marrow registry. I also give blood when I can. I might not of been able to help my dad but hopefully I will be able to help someone else out one day. I think everyone should be a part of organ donation as you can make a family in need very happy.
“Don’t take your organs to heaven, heaven knows we need them here”
Yes I will Wisconsin Organ Donation Registry
Wisconsin Organ & Tissue Donation Program
Be The Match National Bone Marrow Registry
Becoming A Organ And Tissue Donor Department of Transportation WI
Today mom would have been 64 years old. I want to take a moment to say Happy Birthday Mom!
My Mom and I.
And then two young adults fell in love and became one.
This all happened on July 20, 1968. Maurice Ray and Renee Sue were wed.
These I Can Promise
Author Unknown
I cannot promise you a life of sunshine;
I cannot promise riches, wealth, or gold;
I cannot promise you an easy pathway
That leads away from change or growing old.
But I can promise all my heart’s devotion;
A smile to chase away your tears of sorrow;
A love that’s ever true and ever growing;
A hand to hold in yours through each tomorrow.
St. John’s Lutheran Church
Wasn’t my mom a beautiful bride?
The Happy Couple.
They resided in a small town called Dalton. My dad was a electrician and mom was a stay at home mom. They started their family pretty sudden as my brother was born January 2, 1969. They named their first born Jan Lynn Bradley.
Dad and my brother Jan.
On November 18th 1970 came their second child. A daughter they called JoAnn Sue (me).
Ain’t I cute?
My Brother And I.
The Bradley Family.
They moved from Dalton to Manchester then to Markesan. They bought a house in Markesan and called it their home for the rest of their lives. They had 2 healthy children, a boy and a girl so they stopped while the getting was good and left it at that.
Some of my dad’s hobbies:
Dad was a member of the Markesan Volunteer Fire Department for ~19 years. He loved going to the meetings, love to make a difference by serving on the department and helping others out in need. I remember as a kid they would have fire fighting competitions and they would hang a empty beer keg on a cable between 2 squads and they would have to use the fire hose and water to spray the keg and get it to the opposite side. If they did then they won!
Dad’s pride and joy, his boat.
Can you spot me in the above photo? I don’t have very many pictures of me and my dad and when I scanned this picture in I noticed I was in it. Dad loved to fish. My parent’s had to save up to be able to buy this boat and he was so proud of it. I swear I had to wax it twice a year. On his off time we were always going fishing. My Grandma had land that a river went through and we would go there all the time during the summer months and fish in the evening from the shore. Then we got the boat and we spent time on the lake. We would go on vacation once a year when I got older to Hayward just so we could go fishing on the lakes up north because the fishing was suppose to be better “Up North”.
Men’s Slow Pitch Softball.
During the summer months dad was the pitcher for the Friday Canning Company men’s slow pitch softball team. When we weren’t fishing we would be cheering dad on at his softball games. He would have tournaments on the weekend that we would go to also. He taught me how to play, I went on to play after college with my girl friends.
Bowling Winners.
During the winter months dad and mom were avid bowlers, they were on a couples league and each on their own women’s and men’s leagues. They got my brother and I into bowling also. Dad and I entered a bowling tournament and we won first place. That was one of the proudest days. I didn’t continue on with my bowling.
My Birthday Party.
Another hobby as you read in Part 1 was hunting. Dad loved to hunt and he taught me how to hunt. I said since my Birthday was during deer season that would be my favorite time as I had my Birthday party at my grandparents house and I got to go hunting.
Old Hunting Tags.
The Bradley Family Older.
My dad was my best friend as I was growing up. He taught me a lot. I will never forget what a great father he was to my brother and I as well as what a great husband he was to my mom. We had our family up’s and down’s and threw it all it made our family stronger.
Dad graduated from Pardeeville High School in June of 1964.
I needed to add this next photo to show that learning is genetic. See the English grade? That is where I get my bad grammar, bad spelling, bad anything to do with English from!
Old Report Cards.
After High School Dad joined the Army.
Date of entry 1/18/66 Date of exit 10/29/67
spc5 (sgt) Bradley, Maurice Ray
During this time he was stationed in Kentucky, Virginia and California . Grandpa and Grandma took my dad’s car and drove to Kentucky to visit my dad.This was the first time Grandpa and Grandma went out of state, this would also be their only vacation.
Visiting Dad.
Dad’s car.
This car didn’t stand a chance once dad got out of the Army. He got in an accident with it and it was no more.
Basic Training In Kentucky.
Newspaper Articles.
Dad’s Army Group.
U.S. Army Transportation School
Dad went to Aircraft Electrician School while in the Army. He
completed the Aircraft Electrician Course 9/1/1966 and was 11 out of 20 with 81.9%. He would go on to use his electrical knowledge in Vietnam fixing Heuy Helicopters. Since he was fixing helicopters he wasn’t on the front line so he was safe from enemy fire. Aircraft Electrician Diploma.
While in the Army Grandma wrote to dad EVERY day. She would write and put it in the next mornings mail. Dad kept every letter and when he got out he handed Grandma a box full of her letters. I know have that box of letters that I tried to put in order as to when written, that was a hard task as sometimes she wouldn’t write the year or she would only write ex: Wed am on the paper so then I would have to look at the post mark and figure out the date or it would say ex: Wed the 8th so then I would have to pull up a calendar from that year and see what months had Wed that were the 8th in them. I pretty much got them all in order minus some letters that were missing in Action. My Grandma kept all the letters that my dad wrote back to her and she gave me those too. Some of those are missing in action too that I hope to find one day when I have to go through Grandma’s house when she passes.
Letters From WI.
Before Being Stationed In Vietnam.
Letters From Vietnam.
1st Cavalry Division.
The Chapel.
The Bathroom.
The Heuy Helicopter.
Helicopter that shot gernades.
Army Guys Entertainment.
I found many photo’s of dad and his Army buddy’s on leave at different places enjoying some entertainment. Found photo’s of dad with the girls from rock and roll bands that the girl’s scribbled a note and their name & address on the back telling him not to forget them.
View out of a Heuy.
Don’t Mess With MP Bradley!
Dad Saving A Rooster From A Cockfight.
The next picture isn’t a very good picture at all but it was the best out of the three photo’s I found that was taken with the Army guys and their YoYo’s that they got from a company in Illinois after my dad wrote them and told them they needed something to do while having down time in Vietnam.
YoYo’s from Chicago.
Here is the letter the company wrote my dad a few weeks after they sent out the YoYo’s.
YoYo Letter.
Money From Vietnam.
When dad’s tour was done in Vietnam and he got to come home he was coming home for good. He spent extra time in Vietnam so that when he was done he was done. He flew into Wisconsin, Grandpa and Grandma picked him up at the airport. They got there before the plane landed and when my dad got off the plane Grandpa cried, that was the first and only time my Grandma saw him cry. She says she will remember that day forever!
After the Army dad joined the American Legion Post 282 in Markesan, Wisconsin.
Dad was a post commander for the American Legion in 1984, 85, 86, 87, 88 & 89.
I remember being a little girl and being able to go with dad to his legion meetings, they were held once a month on Monday evenings. I would sit there and listen to the war veterans talk and then there would be a break with snacks. Always loved the Bologna sandwiches they had there. When I was about to graduate from college I applied for the American Legion Scholarship and I got it!
Each Memorial Day the American Legion post would march in the local parade and would have a remembrance ceremony in the cemetery for all the fallen soldiers. This was one of my favorite holidays as I would get to put lilac’s on the cross statue that was made up for the veterans buried elsewhere’s or ones that didn’t make it home.
Memorial Day Parade.
Dad is the guy on the left.
Another favorite part of the remembrance ceremony is the playing of Taps. Hearing a Veteran playing Taps sends a chill threw my body and a tear in my eyes, especially when the gun shots are fired at the end.
TAPS
Day is done, gone the sun from
the lake, from the hill,
from the sky.
All is well, safely rest.
God is nigh.
Thanks and praise for our
days ‘neath the sun, ‘neath the
stars, ‘neath the sky.
As we go, this we know,
God is nigh.
Carlene Wojahn
Side tracking from my Chesapeakes for a couple of blogs to pay tribute to my dad.
This is the first of several series A Tribute To My Dad. My dad is no longer with me. He left this earth on April 22, 1994. Even know it has been 19 years since he left me I miss him more and more each year. Time is suppose to heal all wounds but I tell you time hasn’t healed my wounds yet. Guess I just need more time. I loved my dad, he was my soulmate when I was growing up, I looked up to him and I believed that I was always his favorite (a girl can always hope and believe)! He left this earth when I was only 23, I was barely an adult and didn’t get to experience adulthood with him. This is one regret I have. I can’t dwell on the regrets so……. Come follow along in the journey of my dad’s life.
“ALL BECAUSE TWO PEOPLE FELL IN LOVE”
It all started Feb 22, 1946 when Raymond Oliver Bradley married LaVerne Jane Froehlich. This was the start to a very happy family when two became one!
Grandma & Grandpa
November 24, 1946 was the next joy in Ray and LaVerne’s life. Their first son out of six children was born, they named him Maurice Ray Bradley.
Maurice Ray Bradley
What a cute little lad
This poem was written by dad’s Grandma Bradley when he was one year old.
Maurice Ray
There is a darling little boy.
His name is Maurice Ray.
We wish him “Happy Birthday”
For he’s one year old today.
His hair is soft and silky;
His eyes so big and blue,
He always has a winning smile
To give to me and you.
He is a happy little fellow,
And always full of pep.
We think he’s worth his weight in gold,
Our little house hold pet.
Grandma B
1946-1947
Grandma’s favorite picture of dad
After dad was born Grandpa and Grandma went on to have 5 more children. They had a girl who they named Judith, a Son they named Dennis, 3 more girls named Diane, Linda and Cindy their family was now complete.
The Bradley Family
The Bradley Family older
Grandpa and Grandma were farmers, dad started helping them out on the farm at a young age.
Dad on his favorite tractor
Dad did manage time to sneek away and do some hunting, hunting was his favorite past time. This was dad’s favorite hunting dog.
A boy and his dog
I used to go hunting with my dad all the time while growing up. He was a fantastic teacher and that was our time together. He taught me how to shoot a shotgun and took me pheasant hunting on my other Grandma’s land with our pointer then with our Chesapeake Trigger. He then taught me how to shoot a rifle and took me deer hunting on his parents land that was passed down to my dad. Deer hunting was my favorite time of the year as it was during my Birthday. We would pack up and stay with Grandpa and Grandma for the weekend. I had Birthday cake and deer hunting, can’t beat that!
I am blessed that I have the above shotgun a Model 12 -20 Gauge shotgun. It was his pride and joy and now I cherish it.
The Bradley Family as adults
Families are….
One of God’s greatest treasures and the
Embodiment of all that is important in life.
Families are a refuge
In good times and bad, a warm place
Of peace where acceptance reigns.
It matters not
What you do or where you are,
One thing you never doubt is your family.
The members are always there,
Arms ready to embrace with healing hugs,
And hearts with unconditional Love to share.
A family is a gift that’s never
Completely unwrapped, it is
A present for which each
Member is eternally thankful.
Thank you Grandpa and Grandma for such a wonderful dad. You raised him right and I am blessed to be called his daughter!
Stay tuned for part 2
