Family News

6/26/07 - From Tina:
Ok to those of you who didn't know, COY IS HOME!!!  He got home Tuesday    whoooo hoooooo!!!!! Also I won the first kiss, so Coy got to get off the ship first!!!!     There was news people there and the link above if you click on it will take you directly to the story and play the video and Coy and I are on there.
http://www.nwcn.com/statenews/washington/stories/NW_061207WABrodneydavisreturnsTP.3ea0bae6.html

3/31/07 - Bad news from Baird. Margie has injured her back, apparently cracked a couple of vertebra by sitting down too hard. She is in a lot of pain, and is on pain medication, which is making her hallucinate. Neither Margie or Bernice are getting much sleep. Bernice is having to watch her closely, because she tries to get up and roam around during the night. I will update as I get information.

3/19/07 From Paula:

I am going to Baird today and Mom and I are going to Bret and Christy's later this afternoon. Mom is getting some dental work done and we hope it will require several trips to their house so Mom and I can get away. Please pray for Bret, as Mom does not do the dental thing very well.

I did talk to Mom yesterday and she said they went to church. Yes you heard right, Mamaw and Mom walked into church. Oh yea, Mamaw walked into church!!!!!!! They were giving the announcements and Danny stopped and said, " Well look who is back with us today, I think she deserves a hand." and everyone stood and clapped. Surely she heard that? After church Mom said everyone came by and hugged or shook her hand and talked.

On their way home Mamaw felt so good she said, " Let's go out and eat."
They decided to go home and eat and gt out later for the store and a drive.

Simply Amazing

God Bless, Love you,

Paula

3/2/07: From Kelly Holly
Yes, we sold our house!!! We close March 28th!! We are so excited that a new family will be moving into our house March 28th. We have loved our house so much and loved our neighborhood and new friends that we will miss so much. We hope that the new owners with love it as much as we did. We can't wait to be living in the SAME house in the SAME town again! We are looking at Wylie, Lavon or Caddo Mills.....wherever the Lord wants us to be! Keep us in your prayers as we are MOVING AGAIN! We hope to hear from everyone soon!

2/13/07: I just got the information on the 2007 Sweatt family reunion from Joyce. The reunion will be held at Lake Colorado City State Park on July 21 & 22. The group facility is reserved for both days, and there are cabins, campsites,and RV hookuops available - call 512-389-8900 to make reservations for those. Saturday is Mexican food and Sunday is sandwiches, so plan your dishes accordingly. Call Joyce at 505-392-6755 if you have questions.

1/1/07: From Paula:

Happy New Year!!!!!!! 

I love the holidays but I am always so glad for them to be over.  Now I can once again say I have a whole year to get ready, and I am going to do better this year.

I hope no one else has had this stuff we have had, the sour throat, fever, hurting and then the wonderful cough. I was hit with this after my surgery in November and Randy started getting it but luckily he headed it off. I have not been to Baird since my surgery. I stayed away because I was so afraid of giving it to Mamaw and Mom.

I will be going Tuesday, as I have been with Mom every Jan. 3rd and every April 3rd. Mom came down with this anyway and has been to the Dr. and is getting better.

Now here is my story: Mom felt so bad that she got up with Mamaw that morning fixed breakfast. When she got Mamaw to the table to eat she laid down on the couch and fell asleep. I called about 10:00, no answer. I called again about 12:30 and woke Mom up.
I could not believe she had slept all morning and asked her what Mamaw had done.

She said she had no idea except she left her at the table eating and woke up and she was completely dressed and in her lazy-boy !!!!! I just had to laugh because you know Mamaw was back in her room just giggling, thinking I knew I could do this if everyone would just get out of my way. Simply amazing !!!!!!!

Now altho this sounds wonderful, she still has her moments when she does not know who people are and keeps asking where someone lives now, and they are dead. So if you get to see her please do not get your feelings hurt if she does not know you.

Have a great New Year,

Love, Randy and Paula

12/17: From Kelly and Mark:
Well, once again we are MOVING!!! Mark has officially accepted a new Outside Sales Job with ADEC Employer Solutions (The same company that Craig works for), starting Jan 1, 2007. We will be moving to the Rockwall area. We are so excited to be closer to family and so excited about this new job opportunity for Mark. He will have weekends OFF and no longer on call 24/7!!! We currently have our house on the Market so we will have our same address until further notice.
We miss everyone and hope to see everyone soon! Have a Merry Christmas!

11/20: Update on Margie from Paula:

Randy had to go to a funeral in east Texas last weekend and on the way home he spent Saturday night in Baird.
Even tho Mom has kept us up to date with Mamaw he said he was not prepared for what he saw: Mamaw was at the table reading the paper, with a magnifying glass she can read the headlines. Then talked to him about them. She had her makeup on her hair fixed and had on a dress. Absolutely amazing!!!!!

She had taken her oxygen off earlier that day and Mom said she wheeled her chair thru the living room into the two back rooms into the kitchen around the living room back to her room and back to the living room, she was tired then and had to take a nap.
I guess she had a come to Jesus meeting when she got home and since he was not ready to take her home, she did what she has always done and is making the best of the situation and who knows she maybe walking again soon. Sounds like she is on her own rehab program and there is no telling what she is capable of. Amazing woman!!!!

But let us not forget the work and sacrifice my mother has done, she truly does this out of love and not duty. What a great women to have in our lives.

Have a blessed Thanksgiving, we are,

Love to all,

Paula

11/10: Searching for Sutphens update - Many of the letters I sent out were returned, apparently the addresses were old. I did get in touch with Lanny Sutphen, Andrew's grandson, who lives in Odessa with his wife; they are retired and raise miniature horses.
Lisa Sutphen sent an e-mail; she is Gene's daughter. She has a book that her Dad wrote about about his childhood and the family migration from East to West Texas. I hope to get a copy of it from her.
Estelle Sutphen wrote me a letter; her husband, James, was a grandson of David S. Sutphen. (David was one of the sons of the first Texas Suts, John and Matilda.) Estelle put me in touch with her niece, Dianna Hill, who has all the genealogical research that Mayme Sutphen did back in the 60's and 70's. Dianna invited me to come over and look through it - several notebooks full of information! There are also lots of old photographs that she is going to let me scan.
Hopefully I'll be able to get in touch with a few more.

10/29: Searching for Sutphens - I sent out about 40 letters to people with the Sutphen last name in Texas last week. I have received 2 responses so far, and hope to get more. Hopefully we can reconnect with some of the more distant cousins, and add to the family trees.

9/21: Update on Margie from Paula

This woman is unbelievable. She was so awesome when she came home it was like a kid with a new toy. She would smile and laugh at the smallest things that we do not notice anymore. Her recliner she said looked like heaven, her place at the table was like heaven and she announced when we pushed her up to the table, "My place at the table, I am the boss." and she would just laugh.

Before we left the hospital she told Mom, "
we have the best kids."

Mom: "Yes we do."
Mamaw: "They gave us that Gazebo."
Mom: " Yes they did."
Mamaw: "They paid $200.00 for it."
Mom: "Yes they did."
Mamaw: " And we paid $1,200.00 for the concrete."
Mom and Paula: Laughing

She wanted out in the Gazebo everyday, she wore Mom and I out.
She started eating like I could not believe. Now you must remember this was a woman that had not eaten or drank anything for over a week. She had not even raised her arm in over a week.

All I can say is if I had not seen it with my own eyes I would not believe it.

I am home and Mom hired a wonderful woman that comes to the house from 12:00 to 4:00 five days a week and hospice comes every morning to bath her. They are doing very good and this has freed Mom up in the afternoons to do a few things and not feel like she is in a hurry.

I am not sure Mamaw will ever walk again but who is to say.

Here is a picture that George Sutphen took last Saturday, now remember that these bruises are over a month old. Amazing !!!

God Bless all of you for the prayers and concerns.

Love, Paula, Granny and Mamaw

9/15: Update on Margie's condition from Paula

Mamaw is doing much better, she is eating again. Mom still has hospice coming and bathing and a nurse is checking her once a week. Mom will have to have additional help but at this time we are trying to figure out some kind of schedule.

As everyone knows a head trauma changes things unlike a broken bone. Mamaw at this time has a change in personality and we are not sure what we will be dealing with every time she wakes up.

Sometimes she mixes the past with present and it gets very confusing. At the end of the day you are exhausted. I of course am worried aboutMmom, but she does promise to take care of herself and I will be coming to Baird as often as I can, she may get real tired of Randy and me.

Please keep us in your prayers, this is going to be very different than in the past.

Love to all of you,
Paula, Bernice and Mamaw

9/11: Update on Margie - She came home from the hospital yesterday, and is very glad to be home. Hospice brought a bed for her and will come by every day. She is not eating or drinking much, and is very tired and weak, but in good spirits. She wants everyone to know that she loves you all.

8/29: Update on Margie's condition from Paula

Mamaw is eating as much as they can get down her. She is doing a little better today. The minister from church , Sandra, came by today and said she would sit with Mamaw while mom went to eat something. Mom went hoping Mamaw would talk to her, she said she did want to get better and that is very encouraging last weekend she was so low it really scared us. Since they are treating the infection and have pureed her food she is feeling better.

The therapist talked to Mom today and asked where she planned on going after this 15 days. She of course said home but they told her that would not be possible. So please pray, this is so hard on Mom. She is so strong but I do not know if she can do this.

We will be going back this weekend. I will update as I hear.

Thank you for the prayers,
Paula, Granny and Mamaw

8/28: Update on Margie's condition from Paula

Mamaw is hanging in there, she is having some trouble swallowing so they have changed her diet to everything puree, it isn't pretty.

She is very weak, they discovered yesterday that she has a bad infection probably everywhere and have her on a strong antibiotic. Her right ear has been very painful but the ear Dr. is supposed to be in today.

The bruises are getting better but it is still very hard to look at her and not hurt for her. The neck is supposed to heal but is still very painful.

Saturday afternoon she said she felt very crazy, hand numb mind not working and told me she felt like she did when she had her stroke. The CT they ordered the next day shows she did have another stroke but he called it a TI, meaning due to the swelling in the head will sometimes cause a stroke but all symptoms will go away when the swelling goes back down. Because of this her sodium and potassium levels dropped to a very low. Now that they are giving her large doses of both I think her strength will return.

She has been moved to the skilled nursing wing at Hendrick hospital, room 6116. She can stay there for the 20 days is she is getting rehab. She has not been able to have that since Thursday.

I know everyone is praying and please continue for Mamaw and for Mom. Thank you for the blood donations that will really help.

Love to all,
Paula, Granny, and Mamaw

8/23: Update on Margie's condition from Paula

I talked to mom this morning and they have started her on potassium, her medication is all messed up and she was very irritable. The therapy has started.

Story:
Mamaw told mom "You are going to hate me after this."

Mom said "No I am not. I love you, and if I was going thru this, I would be meaner than you are."

Mamaw said "I know."

Love to all,
Paula, Granny and Mamaw

8/22: Update on Margie's condition from Paula

I am home now. It was really hard to leave, but Mamaw and Mom are doing better.

Even tho we forgot to ask the Dr. this morning 5:30 a.m. and he did not say anything about her shoulder being broken due to her flying out of the hospital bed that it is only bruised and cut.

Now a funny, she is really a tough lady. First of all she never lost consciousness and in the emergency room the Dr. Was trying to stitch her head and there was so much blood the nurse was suctioning her mouth because the broken nose was going into her mouth but she was not doing that good enough so Mamaw took it away from the nurse and did it herself. The Dr. said, "oh sweetheart, we need all the help in here that we can get, you little darling, thank you." He was so sweet to her.

I am not sure what type blood she is but I will find out.

Thank you for your help and prayers,
Paula, Bernice and Mamaw

8/21: Note from Paula about Margie's fall:

Just a quick update on Mamaw:

She is in Hendrik Hospital in Abilene at this time in room 5711.

For those of you that have not heard she fell Thursday about 12:00 a.m. she broke her nose, split her forehead open and broke her neck. The Dr. says if you had to break your neck she did it in the right place. It is between the bottom of the skull and the shoulder. There is a stem your head sits on that allows you to turn from side to side and it is not attached to the spinal chord so there is no paralysis.

She is black and blue from the top of her head to the shoulders. She is a remarkable woman.

The Dr. took the packing out of her nose today and we hope she will be able to breathe better.

She got out of the bed Sunday morning about 5:30 a.m. right after the nurse left and mom and I laid back down bam she was on the floor over the railing. We are waiting for the x-ray on her shoulder and will get the results back in the morning.

She really is doing good considering everything. They are giving her 5 units of blood so far so if anyone can donate blood in her name it would help replace any she has to use.

I will try to keep everyone updated so if I miss anyone I am sorry, just let me know your e-mail address so I can add to my list. If anyone has Michelle and Sandy’s add please let me know, thanks.

Please keep Mamaw and mom in your prayers, I will be going home tomorrow and will come back on the weekends to help relieve mom. She has some great friends here to relieve her during the week so I think they have that covered.

Thanks and love to everyone,

Paula, Bernice, Mamaw

7/06: I had a great visit with Bernice and Margie. Margie wants to have another family reunion, so maybe we can get together in October when it's cooler. They now have about 25 cats in the backyard. Bernice is like the Pied Piper of cats - see the picture.

7/06: Sad news - Eugene Sutphen passed away July 2 at the age of 81. He was a talented photographer, and operated Aggieland Studio in College Station for many years. He was President of the Texas Professional Photographers in 1976. See his obituary from the Bryan-College Station Eagle.

6/06: Lesley and Jacob had their baby, Jacob Braeden. Congratulations!

3/06: Sandra and family are moving back to Texas this summer. They will be looking for a home in the Dallas area.

2/06: The only news is the debut of the website. Send me an e-mail with news or with ideas or information for the site. You can also request your own page or sutphen.org e-mail address.

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Last updated June 26, 2007