Uncle Jim

Today I write with a heavy heart as we are saying goodbye to my Uncle Jim. Uncle Jim is the younger brother of my mother. He lived with us a little while, when I was a girl. He moved to a very small house near us and I always knew he was there. He took me to my first baseball game. He and I took many trips to my grandmother's house, two hours away. Uncle Jim was truly one of my biggest fans. I always knew he loved me. He told me so, just two weeks ago. He had a major heart attack that caused holes in his heart. He was air lifted to Shand's Hospital in Florida where he underwent a 12 hour operation to patch the holes. He has never regained consciousness. He is slowly dying as I write this. The doctors have given him less than a 10 percent chance to live and he has gone down hill from there.

Uncle Jim has always been in my life. I remember the stormy night my grandpa (Paw Paw), put me in his old Chevy truck and we went to Uncle Jim's house. We got there and Uncle Jim was devastated. His wife had left him and had taken their two year old son with her. I will never forget seeing my Uncle and my Grandpa both cry at the same time. Later that year, Uncle Jim moved to Bradenton, to live with us, until he could find a job and get on his feet.

Uncle Jim always spoke aloud to traffic. If other drivers or pedestrians were not doing what he thought they ought to do, he would yell "Go home Yankee!!!". This was done whether he thought they were from the South or not. The people couldn't hear him, but they did one time. My sister, Tammie, was in the car. Uncle Jim was yelling at people crossing the street. Tammie rolled the window down and yelled "Go blow your nose Yankee!!!". It's funny now. Not so much for poor Uncle Jim, at the time. He learned about how little eyes were watching him.

I remember one evening, when my mom would give me charge over my first patient. There is a part of me that wonders if the incident spurred my nursing career. Uncle Jim had gone into a convenience store. He left the motor running on his car (you could do that then) . When he got out of the car, his leg hit the gear shift. The car went into reverse and Uncle Jim's right leg wasn't out of the car yet. He was dragged down a parking lot. He had burns all over his upper body and arms. My mom had me spend the night with him and care for him. I think I was in about the fifth grade.

When I found out I was pregnant with Laura, I called Uncle Jim and Aunt Jill. Tom and I waited nine years to have children. I remember Uncle Jim yelling "Yahoo", as if he were becoming a grandpa. When I gave birth to Laura, Uncle Jim and Aunt Jill were at my house in Colorado, two days later.

Uncle Jim was a man of great patience. He loved sports. He loved family. Best of all, Uncle Jim loved the Lord. We know that in the next few days, Uncle Jim will go home to be with the Lord. I am proud to say that I loved him and knew him. I am so grateful that he was a part of my life. He will be greatly missed.

Still no news on the job front. My administration doesn't want me to leave, but I think I need to keep all of my options open. I know I have to be true to myself and my family. No postings in District 20, yet, but I know God is in control and has perfect timing. Thanks for the card, Jen. You are right. Faith is trusting and knowing that God has me in the palm of his hand, safe and sound.