19 Feb 1975
Dorothy Griffin to Paul and Marolynn Griffin
It has been so good to hear from you, Marolynn -- and 1 feel so guilty not writing to you, directly back, but I have been going for so many medical tests -- I spent my holiday on the 12th having a jillion x-rays of my kidneys -- 1 haven't heard the result of that yet, but I have to go to UCLA on the 24th for more kidney tests, and then to the doctor on the 4th of March for a read-out, and this last weekend we drove up via Bob's to have Dr. Ryan check over John. We left Saturday afternoon and got as fear as Fresno, then to Bob's on Sunday, and left Bob Monday afternoon for Palo Alto -- saw the doctor yesterday morning and drove the whole way home -- getting here 9:30 last night.
The doctor said that John's blood pressure is very low (a result of the L-Dopa according to the doctors and he is putting, him on a drug called Florniff, or something- like that, to bring up the pressure, as it accounts for John's dizziness and falling, and Dr. Ryan says it will also make him more alert. We'll See.
I know exactly what you mean when you say you have time on your hands. I remember when I had Bob, after, working for almost five years after getting married. I just didn't know what to do with myself. It's quite an adjustment. And you say Carrie doesn't sleep much. I would rather suspect that she is not getting enough to eat. She is a big baby and maybe you will need to give her supplemental feedings. Be sure and let your doctor know that she is up so much, because young babies really do sleep most of the time. Is she crying a lot -- because that would probably mean that she is hungry.
We had some very sad news last week. Young Ray Walton, whose dad was the donor for a kidney Ray had to have about five years ago suddenly had his body reject the kidney after all that time and within two days died. When I told Rob he wondered why they hadn't put him on a kidney machine, but decided that it must have been a massive infection. And Julie, his sister, who has multiple sclerosis, is pregnant and won't tell her doctor for fear he will abort the baby. Bob says that the pregnancy will make the multiple sclerosis much, much worse. So the Waltons, who moved to Provo last fall, really have some tragic happenings. One never knows what is going to happen. I guess that's why we should live the best we can always.
Marolynn, I'll send you some samples of yarn, or the yarn itself if I can find out which is best for afghans. I would really like it monochromatic in shades of french blue that's a soft greyed tone) ranging from quite light to sort of a steel blue. I would love for you to make me one and you can give it to me for next Christmas. Do you like to cross stitch? Because I just found a picture of a kit I can get that has the 24th Psalm all cross-stitched on it, and you might like it for Carrie's room or for your own. If you would like something like that to do I Ill send it to you (after I get it).
I'm sorry we can't all be closer--it would be so much fun after I retire for us all to get together as we used to when you were at the beach: Well, we'll plan to come up in the summer, anyway on a circle up and around to Utah. Then come September I hope to go to Maryland for a month.
I forgot to tell you that Uncle Ben came to see us on his way home from the Far Fast--where he is now Regional Director. He asked me to meet him at the airport Thursday night--then take him back there on Friday night (the night before we left to drive north)--so that is another reason I haven't had much time to myself at all.
The Pictures of Carrie were just darling: Paul, you are really a good portrait photographer -- you could have made it a profession. And the picture of David is also darling. Until 1 read, the letter I thought 'my goodness, Carrie is developing awfully fast'. I just took for granted that it was Carrie, even though the baby looked six months old. I know Shirley will love the picture, too.
As it stands now, they (Bob and Shirley) will be moving into their house on June 15th. That is when their lease is up where they are. The escrow is supposed to be finished on March 1. They are renting the wing to the Maddox Ranch developers until April 1, and will have double rent, or whatever, for 2? months. I'll be glad when they are finally settled--with four children moving about is a real job. And the house they are in now is very hard to heat, so they are cold most of the time. Their new house, with such high ceilings, heats beautifully, which will be a real blessing to Shirley. Of course, it has two furnaces, 2 air conditioning units so it will be double expense for heating.
Steve will finish school in late April. I know Marian will be awfully glad when he is home more but she will probably find that he is out on church work almost as much -- thats the way it goes. They don't talk as though they plan to leave Washington very soon, and I don't blame them.
Oh, this is confidential -- Brother Sonne has been approached by the church to head up all of the church hospitals. He has just been made a director of the bank in Logan, and since he is retiring in a year or two he just may take this church job. Also, their son Rick is getting married this summer to a girl named Peggy Shenck from St. Louis. her father is a regional representative out there.
Well, now you know all the news I know:
Love and kisses, Mother
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