Lake Belton: Wrestling With Parkinson's

We had to leave our Campers On Mission project in Newton in order to make a routine stop at the Scott & White (S&W) Neurology Clinic in Temple. Gloria has been on medication for Parkinson’s Disease (PD) since last February, and she has been doing quite well. Her balance and speech have improved, and she has never had tremors. She often “loses” her wallet or cell phone around the house, and keeping up with her grocery list is a frequent challenge. However, her long-term memory is excellent, and her Bridge playing has not suffered. She sleeps easily while riding in the car. while at the computer, while watching TV, and during the most dynamic sermons. Sleeping all night is a totally different story. Her hand and arm strength have deteriorated noticeably, but her overall attitude is positive.

We arrived at the Corps of Engineer Park at Lake Belton on Monday just after dark , and thankfully, a caring volunteer led us to our campsite using his golf cart. Early the next morning we headed to the S&W Clinic located about nine miles away. The physician asked both of us many questions concerning Gloria’s health, and we both complained about her inability to sleep at night—recognizing that part of the problem relates to her numerous naps during the day.

Jerry also lamented that Gloria sometimes falls out of bed. The doctor was greatly concerned about both issues and prescribed a sleep medication. He emphasized the importance of using only half a pill at bedtime. All went well the rest of the day, and we elected to stay one more night in our scenic lakeside site, where we were surrounded by deer, water, and lovely sunsets. Gloria took the new medication at bedtime, but by 2:30 a.m. she was in agony. She ached all over and could barely move in bed. Jerry attempted to move her, but she would cry out in pain. Finally at 3:30 a.m. we called the EMT; their response was quick and efficient. They recommended a return to S&W Emergency Room, as they thought Gloria had one or more cracked ribs after falling out of bed a week earlier. Gloria chose to ride in our truck rather than the ambulance, as she said she could not lie down. A huge EMT guy got her on her feet and into the truck. At the hospital we endured a long wait, but finally obtained an X-ray which showed no broken ribs. The ER physician’s diagnosis, two hours later, was that Gloria was suffering muscle spasms, and he prescribed a relaxer. He was aware of all of her other medications. Gloria used the new medication as prescribed, and seemed to get some relief; at bedtime she took her half-pill for insomnia. That night (Wed.) bedlam struck. Gloria could not get out of bed, and she was in pain and could not even make it to the bathroom. At one point, however, she was able to get on her feet while Jerry was totally out of it. She fell in the hallway of our trailer and smashed her mouth to the point that she was bruised and bleeding. (This photo was taken 5 days later. You should have seen her right after the fall). By this time both of us were in tears. Jerry was not sure what was going on, but he made an executive decision: No more medication and no emergency room! By 4:00 a.m. Thursday, Gloria was sleeping it off and dozed all day. A call to the neurologist’s office that afternoon confirmed that the decision to forego both the sleep medication and muscle relaxer was a wise one. While Gloria was sleeping, Jerry was researching various meds and their effect on Parkinson’s Disease . It seems that any new medication can have a negative impact on the patient. Late that afternoon, Gloria was improved. We took a short but rather unsteady sunset walk along the lakefront. The patint had also developed a healthy appetite and a bit of a smile.

Meanwhile, our children were calling, trying to console their distraught father, whom they have rarely seen come as unraveled as he was on Wednesday and Thursday. Gloria slept well Thursday night, and was mobile. Jerry was exhausted. Friday was bright and sunny, and Gloria was almost back to normal. We were both able to enjoy our beautiful surroundings, and we stayed at the park for as long as we could (2:00 p.m.). A couple of hours later, we were back home in Hillsboro and drove though the friendly gates of our Airstream village with its “Welcome Home” sign. This was the first time we had seen our cozy little house since June 2. It was neat and clean, thanks to our trusty cleaning lady, Dawn. During our frequent absences, she dusts, regulates the temperature, waters the flowers, and runs the Toyota Celica. What would we do without her?

The next day Jerry began the process of inventing a sturdy "rail" to keep Gloria from falling out of bed. The final design utilized the framework from an old thrift store stadium seat. It is designed to fit firmly between the mattress and box springs and is high enough to hopefully prevent a fall. It folds for storing and travel. Now we both sleep better, and Gloria is already talking excitedly about our next trip.

Campers On Mission In Texas

From Memphis we reached Texarkana, TX and a military resort known as Elliott Lake Recreation Area under the command of the Red River Army Depot. One must drive several miles from I-30 through tall pines to reach the gorgeous lake, and as the resort name implies, fishing and boating are favorite activities. There are several spacious log cottages, shelters and a boat launch and conference center. This would be an ideal place for an Airstream rally or family reunion.

After basking in sunshine and gentle breezes for a few days, we traveled on to a Corps of Engineers campground near Proctor, TX for one night. Then we drove a short distance to a Baptist camp on Lake Brownwood to attend a four-day Campers on Mission (COM) rally. Texas is divided into four regions, and we do work projects wherever the Lord leads us. Most of the projects are accomplished in Baptist camps, as our efforts save the camps a lot of money. These difficult economic times have taken their toll on the camps’ budgets. Twice a year workers from all four regions gather to worship, sing, share project experiences, and participate in games and fellowship. All camps have RV sites with hookups.

Following the rally, we had a week off before beginning a Region 4 COM project at East Texas Baptist Encampment near Newton, not far from the Louisiana Border. We elected to stay for the week at another Airstream Park located on Sam Rayburn Lake near Zavalla, TX. That location would put us within 80 miles of the forthcoming project. From Brownwood to Zavalla was a full day’s drive, and we were delighted to reach our destination just before dark. This park is different from our North Texas Airstream Community in that only 22 couples live there full-time. As well, they have their own water and sewage plants, where we have city utilities. This puts a strain on their budget. Hence, there is less emphasis on keeping roads and buildings repaired. However, they have a great clubhouse, and one could not ask for a friendlier group of people. They involved us immediately into their fellowship, which included morning coffee gatherings and a steak dinner one night. A Texas Gulf Coast Unit rally took place on the weekend bringing games, fellowship, and lots of good food. Our close Florida Airstream friends, Chuck and Joyce, who were unit members with us in Northern Virginia, also came in time for the rally. We had not seen them since departing from Gillette, WY on July 5. They had agreed to meet us in Zavalla and attend the forthcoming COM work project in Newton. The rally ended with an uplifting Sunday morning worship service led by Fred. He, along with his lovely wife, Ruth Ann, had gone out of their way all week to make us feel welcome and comfortable.

Chuck, Joyce and we then traveled on to Newton for the project. Around 10 rigs found their sites on a sandy hill among the tall pines, and we all had dinner together and then played Joker. A few additional workers would arrive during the next couple of days. While on a mission project, the campsites are free as are lunches and dinners. This camp had a cook on duty most of the week, and her husband was in charge of maintenance and assigning our jobs. Our Region 4 COM leaders are Jimmie and Retha, who are friendly, well-organized, empathic, and dedicated. They keep up with unit members weekly and inform us when one of our workers is need of prayer. We have the most active region in the state. Typically, the group engages in four projects each year lasting two weeks each. We were involved in Campers on Mission in Virginia for several years, but we have never experienced this caliber of leadership and dedication. Each day begins with a hearty greeting from Jimmie and a worker prayer circle beginning at 8:00 a.m. At 9:30 we have a coffee break and then take an hour for lunch. At 2:30 p.m. we enjoy another refreshment break and then eat supper at 5:00 p.m. Devotions are held each evening at 7:00 p.m., and then we play rousing games of Joker (usually men against women) until around 9:00 p.m. Jerry led one devotional, entitled, "Why Christians Need Not Fear Jihad. The text was the last chapter of the Bible. Too bad that the Muslim extremists don't understand this Word from the Lord. They will not win.

This East Texas project mostly involved the complete upgrading of the camp manager’s residence. The position is vacant, and the residence was in sad shape when we began. In order to recruit an ideal candidate, all floors and walls of the house had to be refurbished. There was also a need for plumbing and electrical work, plus installing new kitchen cabinets and some appliances. Gloria worked in the kitchen, while Jerry and his task buddy, David, affixed several new door closers in the dining and dorm areas. They also installed three big-screen, wall-mounted TVs, and removed old soiled carpeting in the manger’s residence, replacing it with new laminate. Chuck (black sweater left) worked mostly in the residence kitchen removing old flooring and replacing it with new tile. Joyce (photo right) helped the ladies paint various rooms. We, Chuck and Joyce could stay for only one week, so on Saturday our friends headed to Florida. We stayed until Monday morning to enjoy the weekend with the group and attend a terrific church service on Sunday in Jasper, TX.

Elvis and Graceland

After a two-day stop in Ohio, we drove on to Memphis, where we stayed for four days at the Mid-South Naval Support Station. The military famcamp is ideally situated near the commissary and PX. Every rig gets its own concrete pad, and the sites are grassy and spacious. It was a great place to rest and relax. While there, Jerry decided to visit Graceland: Gloria had no interest in the tour.

The first time we ever heard of Elvis was in 1955 when Jerry was in cadet training with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC. He was only a few months older than we. At the time we shook our heads and thought that Elvis was a passing oddity. We were into dancing at dressy coat and tie affairs to big band names like Stan Kenton and the Dorsey Brothers. By the time we graduated from college a couple of years later, rock and roll had begun to make its mark on college campuses. After graduation in 1957, we were headed to Fort Knox for the Armored Officer’s Basic Course. Elvis was already a household word, and that same year he purchased Graceland, a mansion built in 1939 in Memphis. By early 1958, Jerry was assigned to the 2nd Armored Cavalry Regiment as a platoon leader in Germany. Later that year Elvis was assigned to the 3rd Armored Division in Germany as a driver for a battalion commander. Most people respected him for serving with a line outfit during the Cold War rather than taking a posh job as an entertainer. He had a choice.

Graceland is not the elegant mansion one might imagine, but it does exude a certain amount of glitz and class. Elvis and Priscilla, the 14-year old daughter of an Air Force officer, whom Elvis met in Germany, lived there several years before they were finally married in 1967. Elvis was 32 and Priscilla was 21. Their courtship lasted longer than the marriage, and they separated three years later. Elvis’s parents also had their own quarters at Graceland. It was Elvis’s dream house, and the party life was constant. The kitchen was always a busy place, as was the racquet ball court (now a trophy room for his gold records), and swimming pool. Elvis was generous with his family and friends, almost to a fault. There were sad times too. Elvis worried a lot about his career, and he Priscilla divorced in 1973. Elvis died at Graceland 1977 from substance abuse; he was only 42 years old. He and his parents are buried near the swimming pool. To this day, many bouquets and wreaths arrive daily in memory of the King of Rock and Roll.

In a museum across the street from Graceland are Elvis’s many luxury cars, motorcycle, tractor, and many other artifacts including his gaudy outfits and the pink Caddy that he bought for his mother. As one would expect, the museum is highly commercial with tons of souvenirs, but it is worth touring. Thousands of people tour the facilities daily, including busloads of people from all over the world. One of the highlights is Elvis’s jet, the Lisa Marie, named for his and Priscilla’s only child. It is a rather elaborate plane with comfortable furnishings, including Elvis’s bed and his private bathroom with gold plated fixtures. Lisa Marie narrates many memories of her dad, but she was only nine when he died. One was that after complaining that she had never seen snow, Elvis loaded her on his plane and headed to Colorado. After she played in the snow for awhile, and they threw a few snowballs, they flew back to Memphis.

Born in Tupelo, MS in poverty, Elvis was an only child, as his twin brother was stillborn. His father, Vernon, did time at a Mississippi prison for check forgery while Elvis was a child, and his overly protective mother, Gladys, seemed to confuse Elvis’s role in the family. Perhaps this sheds insight into his exceptionally close tie to his mother. At her death, while Elvis was still in the Army, he threw his weeping body on her casket, hugged her lifeless body, and had to be pulled away. He allegedly slept with her nightgown for several days that followed. This abnormal mother-son bond may also explain why he never had a long-term relationship with any other woman. Apparently, he was not the great lover that women thought him to be. His years of success were short by Tony Bennett standards, but his still-popular recorded music has topped a billion copies. His foreign sales have been in the millions, though he never appeared on stage outside his own country. Starring in 31 films, he was never taken seriously as an actor to his great disappointment. Elvis ushered in a new era of music. Sadly, he never had the maturity or stability to enjoy the worldly success that he had achieved as a cultural icon. Whatever we may think of Elvis, he certainly changed the art of music around the world. Even today there are discussions about who was the greatest individual singing performer of all time—Elvis or Frank Sinatra--a rather odd comparison.