Friday, July 31, 2015

RIP Uncle Adrian :(

Yesterday was a pretty messed up day.

It has been so super hot here... heat indices have been 100-115 degrees... just like walking out into a mild oven when you step outside.

So, it's been kind of hard to get the grass mowed in a timely fashion since we have a push mower; a nice one... but, still takes way more time than a riding one.  So, a little after 4pm, I go outside, and decide that maybe I can get a little weedeating in being that it was slightly cooler than earlier that day and there was a breeze.  And then, perhaps start mowing... well, I heard several loud BOOMS.  I thought, wow... that was loud... what kind of gun is that???  Because it's not unusual to hear gunshots where I live.  So, I start weedeating.  After a few moments, I hear sirens.  So, I stop.  They sound close.  I look around and see a huge black plume of smoke!
So, eventually, the smoke cleared.. in the meantime, I see more than the usual vehicles down our road and neighbors walking to the front of the street (towards the smoke).

We, the kids and I, walk to the front (Wyatt rode his bike), and there's the accident!  An 18-wheeler heading towards Opelousas on HWY 190 had a blow out and ended up going through the medium, and hitting the house that faces 190 to the right of our road!  It took off the front left corner of the house and then it blew up!!!  Thankfully, the driver got out before it blew up and the father and his 2 kids were able to get out their house as well!  All 4 went to the hospital with minor abrasions.

This was all that was left of that truck!  And look at the house!  There's bricks and cement all over the yards and road... and even burnt leaves all the way in our yard - thanks to the wind!

Here's the link to the story on our local ABC station: KATC

So, this whole time this was playing out, I was informing my family via mass text (dad, Aimee, Angele, Cherie, and Jared) as well as Jeremy.

After we walked home, my dad sends a message that our Uncle Adrian has passed away :(
He had recently returned to the states from Africa, where he's been working for decades, due to him feeling badly.  This return was either the end of May or beginning of June.  He had cancer; in 3 different locations (if not more).  The most painful was on his spine. He had lesions on his brain.  And I can't remember where the 3rd was... I think his lungs?
They tried to treat him... started with radiating the ones on his spine.  So, for about two months, the doctors tried helping but, ended up sending him home with Hospice this past Wednesday.  We (my dad, siblings, and us) had figured we'd be able to go visit this weekend... but, no.  Just like my grandmother/his mother; passed away within 24 hrs at home with Hospice :(
It just really sucks because I hadn't seen neither him nor my Aunt Peggy since my grandmother's death in April 2005 due to him working in Africa and when they'd come to visit the states, they'd usually just go to Mississippi to visit her side... and we usually didn't hear of them coming down until after they'd left and shared pictures.
So, I don't know when the arrangements will be yet.
Just sucks.
I only had 2 blood-related uncles and one blood-related aunt.

Monday, July 27, 2015

Weight Loss Update

146.0 lbs this morning!!! Woohoo!!!
The jeans in this picture is a size 6!
I've been taking Slim-Vie for almost 2 whole months and it works!  I feel awesome!❤❤❤