THE SUPERBOWL OF LIFE...AND FRIEDA HUDSON IS WINNING BY A MILE!!!!

(Two of my favorite people in one of my favorite pictures.)
I haven't posted for a while about Frieda, so I felt it was time to give an update for those who check periodically. She's still going strong and gets more amazing with each day that passes. God must be smiling like nobody's business! I know I do!
The past several visits with Frieda have been so wonderful. She's doing such great things. It troubles me when I hear the rumor mill grinding away with all sorts of adjectives that simply are not true. Of course, Frieda...and consequently Wayne and I have dealt with that for quite some time now. Oddly enough, with Frieda being THE backbone of the Pamlico News, "bad news" is all that seems to travel. No one wants to hear good news. But everyone's favorite news hound is doing exactly what I expected her to. She's busting butt and taking no prisoners! GO FRIEDA!
Frieda is doing amazing things and she is so very proud of herself. She is able to drive herself in the facility with the aid of an electric wheelchair. She's a sight to behold wheeling up and down the hallway. She has been reading and spelling for some time now, so she can spell out most anything she'd like to "say" to you. For example, we call my dad "Grog" and call him a caveman when teasing him. When he walked into her room Thursday evening, Frieda started to grin this evil grin and spelled out GROG and laughed right out loud. I asked her to spell my mom's name. Frieda looked at my mom and smiled...she wanted to spell what SHE felt about my mother. "Sweetness" was the result. I can't tell you what she spelled for me. Just take my word for it, the whole room was in stitches. The speech therapist has a great sense of humor and believes fully that laughter is indeed good medicine. He says Frieda relaxes and gets a lot done when we're having a lot of fun. So, as always we do laugh a lot when visiting. The visits this week were long, we worked hard on spelling and communication skills and being close.
Frieda gets emotional when she remembers "what it's like on the outside." That in itself is very motivating for her.
I am so proud of her and want to thank everyone who has continued to check in on my blog and believe that Frieda could get better. She has.
Each day gets better and better...and I LOVE IT! We are still "THUMBS UP" all the way! Even back at Pitt Hospital, Frieda gave me a "THUMBS UP" when I asked her if we were going to stick this out together. Today, it is just as strong a commitment as it was back in the summer. People give up hope so quickly. Underestimating Frieda is a crazy thing to do! But, on the other hand, it gives her strength just to prove the naysayers wrong. Typical of Frieda, right? Something else I love about her.
I watched with sadness as the news told of a situation where a young girl is being called "brain dead," "a vegetable" and many of the horrible adjectives that I have heard used along side Frieda's name. It boiled my blood then and it does now. I watched as a father is begging and pleading with a mother to let the daughter live. The girl doesn't speak and is on a feeding tube. Guess what? SO IS FRIEDA! But is she any of the horrible adjectives that people who are either ignorant or unfeeling or both use? NO! The name Terry Schiavo comes to mind. There are those who would argue that abortion is "murder." I think taking a life of any kind is boils down to murder. As humans, we do not have the right to "euthanize." We do not have the right to "play God" and determine what is "life" for another human being period. That is God's job. How can he fulfill HIs Divine Plan for us if we are busy trying to do His job for Him? Notions such as that are just outrageous to me. It's hard to even consider it for animals within my personality. But, that's me.
The world at large has a skewed vision of what human life is. "Quality" of life comes into question and people try to make decisions that are not theirs to make.
I thank GOD every single day for Frieda Hudson and for her SPIRIT and her sheer will to LIVE! She and I have plans and as I have said all along, we don't go down easily. We just keep working hard. I don't blog every day about Frieda because I got tired of the backlash. Folks who haven't even visited with Frieda or really don't know her at all at a personal level were offering opinions that I didn't ask for, so I removed myself from the drama. My friendship with Frieda Hudson doesn't contain all that drama and gossip. So, we have continued to do what we do best. WORK HARD, LAUGH A LOT and WORK TOWARD THE ONE GOAL OF GETTING FRIEDA BETTER!
I am so thankful she didn't give up. There was every opportunity to do so, but those of us who know Frieda fundamentally know that giving up is simply not a part of her personality. That is what I love most about her. She's still cracking jokes at me just as hard as she can, laughing at me and in the next minute, we're holding hands tightly, along with Wayne assuring each other that we're just going to keep fighting hard and moving ahead.
There are few friendships in life that sustain hardship, serious illness, issues and many of the things that Frieda and I have witnessed. She is my hero. You give me such strength and such confidence, Frieda, when my own life seems so hard at times. I can simply think of you and things look so much better.
Frieda, one day when you read through all these blogs, I want you to know that YOU have touched SO many lives that come from ALL over this country! People have read this blog, prayed for you, loved you and have cheered you on every day! Frieda, our friends who live in other parts of the country are cheering, praying and celebrating each and every little thing you do! We have every expectation for you to be right back in the middle of our "crowd" in no time flat! From Colorado, to California, to New York, Washington, DC, Wisconsin, Ohio...just pick a state! All our music friends, friends that have come on board since reading about this crazy word called "stroke" and blog readers in general have offered such support and love. It truly is amazing!
So, even in illness, there is such goodness and God NEVER leaves us. Faith grows each and every day in so many ways. I've said all along that God still has big plans for Frieda Hudson. Who knows what she'll be doing next? I can't wait to find out! God willing, I'll be right beside her watching it all unfold.
Just keep praying....and don't forget to give thanks for those prayers that clearly have been answered.

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