99% Great...1% Anonymous. I'll Stick to the Higher Percentage!

As I have for the past couple of months, I'd like to say again "THANK YOU" on Frieda Hudson's behalf for the many, many people who have prayed, sent beautiful memories, messages, love, support and everything else under the sun to reach out to Frieda and her family since July. I have personally been overwhelmed and restored in many ways as a result.
Frieda has SO many friends and so many people that love her dearly. There is clearly a void in Oriental and the whole of Pamlico county as a result of the two strokes she has had. The shock is still numbing to me at times and I have to force myself to realize that, yes, this is "reality."
Because I know Frieda so well, I know that she would be doing the very same thing for me had the situations been reversed. In fact, some of that was demonstrated in the weeks before her stroke when Wayne was seriously injured and consequently had a serious reaction to medications at the hospital after he was hurt. Frieda was by my side, she directed the ambulance into our home, she helped me lift Wayne, she helped to keep him conscious, as we waited for help and she helped me deal every aspect of Wayne's surgery, all with a sense of "I AM HERE TO HELP YOU ANNE, NOW GET OUT OF MY WAY AND LET ME!" She was with us at Duke for his appointments before and after the surgery. In fact, had the surgery not been on a "publication day," she would have been with us during the surgery. She was actually angry that she couldn't be.
Since July 27, 2007, my life as well as Wayne's has been changed forever. We both made conscious decisions that we would not, no matter what, forsake Frieda Hudson. We promised her at Craven Hospital that we would never leave her and we haven't. AND WE WON'T.
I have received hundreds of emails of appreciation for dedicating MY blog to Frieda. She has SO many friends and this was one way to keep people informed. As I have said (and I shouldn't have had to) many times before, what I have posted have been my experiences, my husband's experiences and whoever happened to be with us on our many, many, visits with Frieda.
While 99% of the people who have read the blog have been grateful, there are "always those few" who wish to trash the efforts of those who are consistently working HARD to HELP Frieda.
I really shouldn't even feel the need have this discussion or warrant wasting my time defending what I have CHOSEN to do with my time FOR the benefit of someone I love dearly, but I've had a couple of "comments" come in that have really bothered me, mostly disgusted me. I elected not to publish them, as the writer clearly either doesn't know FRIEDA very well or has never found themselves in a situation of being able to give totally and unconditionally of themselves to help someone else in need.
I feel sorry for people who are so sad inside that they have to try to tear down the kind acts of others. Society as a whole is shifting to "more know it alls" and less "DO-ers."
I could be ugly and post the commentator, but I won't do that. I have "better raising than that."
I will just reiterate that I have chosen to take the time to keep FRIEDA'S FRIENDS informed. Nothing else matters. Frieda's friends deserve to know what is going on with her, they deserve to see her and they deserve to be able to know her progress no matter how slow, without "arm chair" observers determining if what I say is "true" or not.
I am proud to have the ability to write, to document and to follow this situation. My prayer is that one day...who knows WHEN...Frieda and I will be able to look back on this together and know that our friendship never faltered, never waned, and never faded even one second as a result of catastrophic illness.
Some of you readers know me, some do not. For those of you who do not, from the blog, you should have learned that Frieda and I have a great basis for friendship...LAUGHTER. We found humor in even the smallest of things. So, at times, even in the face of what is ahead for Frieda, I will maintain that. In reporting what events take place while with Frieda, there is never malice, harm or hurt toward anyone. I observe and I comment on MY observations. For example, Frieda's roommate...I made a comment and the same person who has sent the 2 comments seemed to think I was making a mockery of another human being. Ridiculous. Even the lady involved laughed. For the record, I have spent TIME with her as well. She is ALONE, so when Frieda has been sleeping, I have asked about HER LIFE, her children, her favorite foods, what she loves about life and so many other things. I know that she is one heck of a Greek cook. I know her father owned a Greek restaurant. Does that sound like I have made a mockery of my elders? Again, that would go totally against my raising.
As for what Wayne and I DO for Frieda...we have the FULL SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF THE STAFF OF HER FACILITY. Even the DIRECTOR had no knowledge that Frieda could communicate until she came and OBSERVED OUR INTERACTIONS and then she told the rest of the staff "how" to communicate with Frieda in her current condition. They have told me how much my help is both needed and appreciated...and for the record, the "commentator" made the assumption that I don't know what I'm doing when I'm helping Frieda. Sorry, you're mistaken. I do. I know exactly what I am doing and will continue to do so. If Frieda were allowed to just LAY, Frieda would be FURIOUS that no one was helping her. It takes so much more than one rehab session each day (which just started recently by the way) to keep muscles from becoming atrophied, as well as the myriad of problems that ensue from someone "just laying" and their body staying in an immobile state. At a base level, how dehumanizing and UNFAIR is that? What kind of a "friend" would I be if I simply SAT there and "visited" as the commentator suggested? Nah. Not my style..and certainly not Frieda's! We are DO-ers! Not "sitters." She can't better or even have the HOPE of getting better with me sitting on my butt staring at her while she simply lays there and looks at me. That is repulsive to even think about. So, I think we'll keep doing what we're doing. We're even looking forward to taking Geordie back to see his friend Frieda. It did them BOTH such good.
So for those of you in the 99% who appreciate the time I take to inform you, thank you. You have offered me SO much support and I'm sure you'll continue to do so. For the commentator who elects to make ridiculous and unwarranted comments, I feel so sorry for you. Frieda would be so hurt.
As long as Frieda is in this condition, ANNE HALEY will be right by her side...with the FULL support and gratitude of her family members who have appreciated the relationship that Wayne and I have had with Frieda from the start. Friendships are not built on "convenience." They are built on words like love, trust, support...all of which are UNCONDITIONAL.
I really shouldn't feel the need to respond to two silly comments, but after thinking on it, I thought there is even a lesson in that. Some people just don't understand what "real friendship" and "commitment" are. Perhaps if you will continue to read this blog, you will learn about those things. That will be my prayer for you.
My friend Frieda Hudson deserves above all else to know that our friendship was founded on "sticking together" and even in the midst of trials, we will continue to stick together. If what I say in my blog isn't pleasing to any particular reader, while you're always welcome, don't frustrate yourself by continuing to visit. The rest of us are spending our time sending healing and helping energy and prayer for strength for Frieda. I don't have energy to divert away from Frieda to even consider where people find the time to be mean spirited. Check my "requests" for posting here on my blog. If you have something mean spirited to say, please find someplace else to say it. We don't do "mean spirit work" here. As we have learned from this experience, life is just too short.
I want to close on a good note having poured my heart out to someone in particular...so, love your families and friends with all your hearts. BE a GREAT FRIEND to your friends...not just a "good" one. REACH OUT and go the extra mile. You can really learn what you are made of in doing so. And don't forget the I LOVE YOU'S. You can never say those 3 words too much.
Wayne had a great visit, one on one with Frieda, but he asked me to just let you know that they had 3 hours of good work and helpful time together. He wished to keep the rest of his visit private. Just know she's in good hands and when she's in our hands, we are HELPING her and loving her with all our hearts. Supportive comments are welcome here. Comments that are written based on assumption are not welcome and I'll just keep rejecting them.
OH! And one more thing...there are rumors of all sorts all over town...you didn't get that info here! I wish much of what I have heard was true, sadly, it is not. But, there are folks who didn't know that Frieda had even had a second stroke and information has gotten very distorted. Hopefully, if you're reading this blog, you can just go back through the archives and get up to speed on things. I'll keep information posted here totally current, as I have all along.

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