We have now been in Texas for 1 year. It has now been 18 months since Bill had his third stroke.

Bill is now only awake for about 7 to 10 hours of the day. I can only keep him out of the bed for a couple of hours at a time. He seldom wants to go out of the house ....ie the mailbox or the club. He still likes to go out in the car. However Thursday one of our neighbors came to help me get him into the car and go get a SnoBall in Tomball about a 40 minute ride. It was a beautiful day. The ride is rural and wooded for the most part...but still we were out of the house. We got our treat and Bill was ready to come home. When we got home I was getting him out of the car. His knees just buckled under him...I could not hold him. I tried to get him back into the car seat....he was sliding down between the top of the seat and the door frame. I asked the neighbor to go get a male neighbor to help. We were able between the three of us to lay him down on the garage floor and to get a pillow under his head. We called 911 for the 4th or 5th time....they came to the rescue.

I am putting this on the blog because I am always trying to give you good news. It is getting harder to find the good news these days. The prospect of therapy is out of the question since he has no strength left in his legs. He is loosing his muscle mass both in his arms and legs. He is able to roll slightly to his right side and pull up with his right arm to the top of the bed and raise his legs in the bed and that is it. He still does not have trunk control which is why he cannot get his balance . No balance prevents him from even being able to sit on side of the bed or straighten himself in the wheelchair.

He never complains....we're OK. I'm just feeling the need to keep it real tonight.

Last weeks activity seemed to really perk Bill up. We attended Bingo for the first time in weeks. We enjoyed seeing all of the neighbors and everyone missed us. I think that will motivate both of us to get into our routine. The visit to the Baylor doctor really took the wind out of both of our sails. Now it is time to move on.

Bonnie, Rick and Eric came for a very nice visit. They were here to move Eric back home from his summer internship here with a large accounting firm. He has been offered a permanent job with the company and has accepted. He complete his master degree in accounting in December. Then he will move to Houston. Yea!

Also his brother Kyle's girlfriend Darlene has taken a job with Haliburton in Houston already. So after Kyle graduates he also will be looking for a job and a move to Houston. Yea!

More Murray's in Texas......that's a good thing. Since we get homesick and the visits....give us a good taste of family.

They also stopped by the Main Street Sno Ball stand to check it out...........good report Lori. Keep up the good work.

Bill did not want them to leave even though it was late ...........he was loving it.

Ya'll keep on coming..........we'll leave the light on. Love ya.............Ruby & Bill

Friday...........was a good night at the Main Street Sno Ball stand in Tomball.

It was Tomball night and the hot, sweating crowd wanted to cool off !

Bill got the royal treatment....Vic & Greg picked up the wheelchair and put Bill inside....they took lots of pictures....wait till you see that....he loved it.

Saturday...........was a sad day.........Bill's long time friend Harry Ravain passed away Thursday night at 6:15PM.
Harry was Greg's Godfather .............Greg took Bill on Saturday to say good-bye to Harry.

Saturday night Bill wanted to go back to the Sno Ball stand. I told him he has to get stronger so I can transfer him in and out of the car by myself before we can go alone. That may be a really good incentive. He said when he is stronger he wants to go every night. Look out Lori you better get lots of Strawberry syrup.

Good Day

Today will be a good day..............Greg will be coming with his family to help get Bill in & out of the car. We are all going to the friend & family night at the..........Grand Opening of Lori's SNOBALL stand tonight.

Lori & Bill have tossed this idea around for several years. Bill even bought Lori a Sno Wizard machine at a pawn shop about 10 years ago. She stored it for awhile in her laundry room then gave up on the dream and sold it.

I just laughed because I thought it was like so many other ideas........ie. drive in theatre, wall paper store, blind store, drapery workshop or the band getting some big job ie. Las Vegas, cruise boat or Europe. Then there was the Murray family Mardi Gras truck or the Murray Halloween Haunted House we were always going to have...
but NO tonight one of Bill's dreams becomes a reality. The dream he and Lori shared together for years .

Vic has even gotten on board...he said Lori will do what she wants anyway...I might as well help her succeed.
Lori & Vic have attended Sno Wizard sno ball school. Eaten lots of sno balls on trips home and here in Texas....all in the name of research. Lori has put in many hours on the inter net , many miles of leg work and hours of phone time.

Vic, Lori and friends have been busy with building out the inside and outside of the building. Vic making tables for outside, painting, buying and hauling a mountain of equipment and supplies. Greg build them a huge SnoBall out of wood...I think that is a outside building decoration. I'll know more when I see it.

They have fliers, plastic cups, lots of flavors & stuff, even soft serve ice cream. Tonight is the big night. Tomorrow is Tomball night....tonight is a small dress rehearsal....tomorrow night is a big festival. Hopefully a money making night.

Wish them lots of luck, fun and success in their dream come true.

Bill seems more distance these days. I also see a drop in his appetite. The Neurologist wanted me to stop giving him the sleeping pills. I did. Now he is back to awake all night and sleeps from about 4:00AM till 2:00PM. I can't take it....we are staying inside day and night...since we are missing BINGO. So I am going to set the alarm clock and we will both be up by 10:00AM and in bed by 12:00 midnight. If I need the sleeping pills to give us both a better quality of life....so be it.

He also doesn't want to attend the Friday night social and BINGO at the clubhouse. I have requested stronger anti-depressant RX .....Bill requested help in that area for the first time since the stroke.

I can not even imagine what it must be like.........to go to sleep one night........only to wake up the next day......with a extreme handicap like he has...........mental confusion.........not able to play music.........I moved us to Texas away from his friends and family.

The highlight of our week is when the children and grandchildren visit. He still likes to go out to eat and to the malls for awhile..........I have got to get him and us back on a positive track.