Wish I could take credit

After the PC crash yesterday....and a painful 8 hours on the phone with my company's "help" desk (not), I gave up the ghost at 3 am...a total washout on the PC front.  A complete rebuild from scratch was required but had to wait until morning and a trip into central London.

As I ascended the stairs, I heard the beep of the IPhone and saw a post from a long (and usually very funny friend) on yesterday's post...it was exactly the laugh I needed.

H - Glad to hear you're back and I hate to be the one to tell you. While you were asleep, it was Rip Van Winkle that was asleep for a 100 years while Rumplestilskin was converting straw into gold. Now if we could fall asleep for 100 years on a stack of hay and wake up in a pile of gold, THAT would be a story.

And just to lose the report, there was no extra gold laying about my house.

A page out of Rumplestilskin's book

The silence on the blog has been a direct result of lots of active projects/deals at work and the probate of my aunt's estate. 

Following P's memorial service, I "emotionally" slept for what felt like 2-3 entire weeks.  I know I went through the daily and weekly actions and to-do's of home and work, but it felt a little like driving your car home very late at night.  You know what I mean.....You make it home, but can't remember the drive. Upon further reflection, you have no memory of the road, the songs on the radio, let alone the drive home. 

Well, I can equate feeling that same thing to the last few weeks following P's service:  I wrote those thank-you notes, paid those bills, filed legal documents, and spent way too much time on the phone each night to various and sundry people, businesses, and organizations in the US with a "need" to know of her passing.  Still I have little or no memory of any it. 

Yep, one big blur. 

Or perhaps, one "big sleep".  Now it feels like the time is right for closure, to get things finalized and move on.  In other words, wake up out that 7 month slumber.  So, coming up is my 7th trip to the US in as many months....this time with the express view of getting the court to appoint me as executor of P's estate and getting this "show on the road".  So, step 1 is identified. Spoken in true P fashion.

Still, if you have dropped me a note, sent a card or email, or wonder why the silence from my end, just know that it has been my mind (and body's) way of coping. Me and Rumplestilskin have been over there snoozing under the tree.

I just wish I felt as refreshed as he did after his 100 year nap!

Dr. Peggy Sartain

Peggy Ann Sartain passed away on September 22, 2010 at The Summit at Lakeway in Austin, Texas due to complications from a stroke in April. Born on February 4, 1934 in Arp Texas, she was the eldest daughter of Forrest Lee Sartain and Beatrice Inez Smith Sartain. Baptized at the First Baptist Church in Arp, she later spent her teenage years in Kilgore, Texas. During her professional medical career, she resided in Dallas, and retired in 1990 to Horseshoe Bay, Texas.

Peggy attended public schools in Arp as well as Kilgore, Texas, graduating as Salutatorian from Kilgore High School (KHS) in 1951. Peggy was active in many activities in KHS including being a Member of the "Dog House" Committee, Senior Class Treasurer, Flutist in The Kilgore Bulldog Marching Band, and various choir and drama Groups. She recently attended her 55th class reunion.

Peggy attended Baylor University in Waco, Texas from 1951-1955, receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology with minors in Chemistry and English in 1955. Peggy's lifelong love and support of Baylor started during this time. While at Baylor, she was a member of the Baylor Student Congress, Student Court, Pre-Med Club, Sophomore Class Treasurer, Memorial House Council, Summer BSU Council, and Rhapsody in White Choir. To this day, Peggy's lifelong Baylor friends were one of her greatest joys.

Upon graduation from Baylor, Peggy attended the University of Texas at Galveston Medical School, graduating with Medical Doctorate (M.D.) in 1959. Her medical training continued at Memorial Hermann Hospital/ Washington D.C. General hospital as she completed her internship in 1960 with a specialty in Pediatrics. Finally, Peggy completed her pediatric hematology residency at Children's Medical Center, part of Parkland Memorial Hospital, in Dallas, Texas in 1961. During her professional medical career, Peggy described herself as a "plain, ordinary, no-frills person" who had a job she adored: working with sick children. Between 1960 - 1989, Peggy was a pediatrician specializing in Oncology and Hematology at Children's Medical Center in Dallas. Her career began in 1960 when she joined the Hematology One Program at Children's Medical Center for a one year internship working in medical research focused on children's blood-related diseases; this resulted in a 29 year career at only one hospital, Children's Medical Center.

A "no-nonsense", plainspoken, and extremely straightforward physician, Peggy's primary focus was to serve as each patient's advocate, in which the needs of her patients were paramount above everything else. Peggy's impact to medicine was not limited to treatment of children and their blood diseases. She also served as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School in which she mentored and taught hundreds of medical students in the pediatric oncology-hematology specialization as well as being a prolific medical researcher and author of many articles and studies in this field, including contributions to the Southwest Medical Journal, the Journal of Pediatrics, The New England Journal of Medicine, Southern Medical Journal to name a few. Additionally, she was selected to participate in two separate US/South Vietnam Pediatric initiatives with the South Vietnam Children's Hospital in the early 1970's, living abroad in Saigon and travelling extensively during this time.

In 1979, Peggy was a founding board member of the Ronald McDonald House in Dallas. Peggy also served as "camp doctor" and founding board member at Camp Esperanza/Camp John Marc for seriously ill children. Known as the "Big Kahuna" to thousands of children patients, colleagues, and co-workers, she was beloved by all. Her honors and accolades were many. Being an incredibly modest individual, it was not uncommon that these honors were never mentioned by Peggy. She was however most proud of the honor bestowed upon her by her alma mater, Baylor University, when in 1990, she was selected as an Outstanding Alumnae of Baylor University. That same year she was also recognized as an Outstanding Baylor Alumnae by the Dallas Baylor Women's Council. Upon her retirement, the Peggy Sartain Library and Conference Room was named in her honor at Children's Medical Center in Dallas.

Upon retirement from her medical practice, Peggy led an very active life in Horseshoe Bay including active participation in the Horseshoe Bay Women's Golf Association, the Horseshoe Bay 19 Hole Club, past President of the Highland Fling Golf Tournament, Trustee of the Church at Horseshoe Bay, past board member of Hill Country Community Theatre, past board member, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Horseshoe Bay Homeowner's Association, Dallas Baylor Women's Council, Life Member of the Baylor Alumni Association, and Baylor University Heritage Club. Her greatest enjoyments were "watching the deer and Texas wildflowers grow", playing golf, being an avid reader and crossword puzzler, watching Dallas Cowboy and Baylor Bear football, and playing Tuesday afternoon bridge with the Horseshoe Bay gals.

Peggy was preceded in death by Forrest Lee Sartain (father), Inez Smith Sartain (mother), Nancy Sartain Robinson (sister), and Larry D. Robinson (brother-in-law).

She is survived by Holly Robinson Young (niece) of London, England, Amy Robinson (niece) of Farmers Branch, Texas, Robert "Buddy" Young (nephew-in-law) of London England, Mary Jane Denson (cousin) of Troup, Texas, Carolyn Peacher (cousin) of Alexandria, Virginia, Bettye Salvans (cousin) of Quinlan, Texas, second and third cousins, many friends and former colleagues, and thousands of former patients.

A memorial service was held at The Church at Horseshoe Bay on Tuesday, September 28, 2010, in Horseshoe Bay Texas, with arrangements by Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home in Marble Falls. Upon cremation, internment will be at Ebenezer Cemetery in Arp, Texas. In lieu of flowers, Peggy's express wishes were to have any donations made in her memory to go to (1)Special Camp for Special Kids-Camp John Marc, (2) The Church at Horseshoe Bay, and (3)the Marble Falls Public Library.

Peggy had a great passion for life, humanity, and a wonderful sense of humor - she will be greatly missed by those who had the pleasure of knowing her.

Please access www.clementswilcoxfuneralhome.comif you would life to see the photos that celebrate her life.

It has been a whirlwind summer and early fall

Given the pace of summer, my work and personal travel schedule, and support for Peggy, well...something had to give in my schedule. And one of those things turned out to be the blog. I have alot to update family and friends on, but the most important one is the passing of my beloved aunt, Peggy.

Many of your knew she had been sick for much of this year, and so, I wanted to take the time to let readers know that she if fact did pass peacefully on September 22nd. She will be missed.