I have just had my Christmas the week of Dec 10 to 17. Susan Giles and her husband, Daniel Garceau, drove up from Florida to visit and help me with getting rid of “stuff”, and scanning pictures into computer for funeral video and website. Taught me how to do it too which was great. Sue also flew up here in April for a week and helped me buy my new laptop computer. She transferred all the info from the old big tower to this skinny laptop. I marvel at what a computer whiz she is and just stand by in amazement., and also deep gratitude for all she does for me. But she says I do pretty well in learning this stuff at 88. I am still trying to learn how to use the new laptop and especially Windows 10 system which I hate.
Last Xmas I was felled Dec 20 til a week after New Year’s with a really bad virus, so some of you did not even get a Xmas card or letter. I have tried to include 2017 letter in those missed, but a few may get duplicate letters, or missed. I get a little confused sometimes. Then Sat, Jan 13, I went to Symphony. A snowstorm forced us to change tickets at an almost sellout performance and we ended up in the gallery—not disabled friendly. With no railing to hang on to, I ended up having a serious traumatic fall. Trying to get down a step, my body pitched forward, my face/head struck an iron bannister like a baseball hitting a bat, then I rolled down a few steps—landing on my left shoulder with legs entangled in the seats.
Yes, I have recovered. But the year since has offered more challenges than fun. Council On Aging (COA) changed my agency to get better home & health care. They were awful—emphasis on F! — Untrained, incompetent, disrespectful & a different girl every week. It was chaotic and stressful at a time I needed calm and professional care. A third agency was a great improvement—until in Nov. the best aide I had had in a while took a picture with her smart phone of my debit card lying on the table and, with an app, started using my bank account as her own for a week until the bank caught it! And so it goes. Fighting peripheral neuropathy and back pain, I got an epidural in July. I think that and the effects of the fall activated my glaucoma. Left eye has been blind for 4 or 5 years, but suddenly this year my very good right eye is going blind. So scary. If it does not stabilize in the near future I may soon be forced to move up to Assisted Living! I had to sell my little red car in July, another step out of independence. I am reminded of Dylan Thomas’ poem- “Do not go gentle into that good night; Rage, rage against the dying of the light…”
In all this my dearest angel has been Annette Roth. She takes me everywhere; to the grocery and does all the heavy lifting and packing; to doctor appts. and sits in to advocate with her Ph.d Chemistry back- ground and to help me remember; and finally to events. I have cut play attendance in half (7-8) and even reduced symphonies from 19 to 13. Jack Williams makes sure I get to Phi Beta sedentary meetings but I have resigned all the duties like yearbook and calling committee I once did.
Pam Smith has been my dearest friend since 1971and sponsored me into Phi Beta. I have had Xmas Day dinner at her house with husband Dr. Rufus and family for 30 years—but not this year. In May, we got the news that Pam had suddenly passed away. Ruf, at 91, would have been expected, but Pam was only 78 and his caretaker. 10 weeks later, ironically the day of the Phi Beta National Convention dinner here in Cincinnati, Alex and family had moved Ruf into a nice Asst. Living facility, then came to the dinner where Pam’s Grandson Nicholas played a lovely saxophone solo. Ruf never even spent the night. He collapsed before bedtime, went to hospital and never came out. To lose his beloved Pam and his home was more than he could bear. My heart weeps deeply at Pam’s loss, as it does with Ruf. And so, as her son Alex said : “We have truly come to the end of end of an era!”
Speaking of coming to the end of an era, I have decided that this will be my last Christmas “newsletter” letter production. In my metal file case is a big fat folder labeled “Christmas Letters”. The first one is Xmas 1955! 63 years of letters. Several people have asked me to write my Memoirs. —Susan has set up a web site for me. I have decided to scan in all my Xmas letters, along with appropriate pictures along the way, and edit text thru the years as time and sight will let me. I signed up for Facebook last year and have never really learned to use it. It is just not for me. The website will suit me better and probably be titled: ‘CarolynRuthHuntmemoirs/bio’ and include 19th and 20th century Brown and Hunt/Rasor family history and pictures. No content in there yet but that is my positive goal for this coming year, along with stabilizing my sight and staying out of Assisted Living.
Christmas and New year’s day have come and gone, but I still wish you greetings of that season, love and hope for a more positive year for our American democracy and for you personally.
Update August, 2019
Well, I DID manage to avoid Assisted Living! January 27, 2019 I went 911 to the hospital for gastro problems and ended up in full-time nursing care. My new address is 5343 Hamilton Ave, HP-2217, Cincinnati, OH, 45224. My phone number is 513-853-2974.
I’m now 89, blind and in a wheelchair, have to be put to bed every night, & sleep sitting up, but hanging in there. Willa has a new loving home with Annette’s daughter. Thanks to Susan, my website is LIVE, though not finished at this time. You can see it at carolynruthhunt.com. Check back often as things are getting added.
Love,
Carolyn Ruth