Decorating to celebrate life

A woman who was told she may have as little as three days to three years to live has decided to enjoy every minute of what time she has left.

Carol Patterson Kelsey of Green River has been busy putting numerous decorations in her yard. From several bird feeders hanging on a tree to stakes with butterflies, birds and globes on them spread throughout the garden, Kelsey has been sure to put everything out she wants.

Along the driveway are fairy and gnome gardens, bikes with the baskets full of flowers and solar lights disguised as flowers or globes. On the deck are flower pots full of flowers, and in front of the deck are sand buckets with flowers hanging on plant hangers.

On the side of the house, which leads to the backyard are gnomes, a wheel barrow and plants. Kelsey has carefully planted different flowers throughout the side and back of the house. She has placed decorative stakes next to each of the plants to add a little something special.

All of this Kelsey has done to enjoy her garden for as much as she can. Kelsey has a long list of health problems, including a broken vertebrae, heart failure, gallbladder issues and issues with her small intestine, which gives her painful stomach aches. She's also had five hernias, blood clots on her legs and lungs, cellulitis and skin cancer.

"I'm in the hospital half the time," Kelsey said. "I live there."

Kelsey said it seems like if there is a health problem she's had it or will. Most recently, her doctor told her she has three days, three months or three years to live. However, she said the doctor told her that the latter was probably the least likely.

Knowing this, Kelsey set to work in her yard, before most neighbors were even thinking about it.

"I'm decorating my yard for the spring," Kelsey said. "It's been decorated for a month. Nobody around here has anything out."

She said she's been decorating so much in the front and back yard that her husband told her she can't bring anymore home.

Her decorations don't stop outside of the house though, inside one will find much more of the same. Kelsey had Christmas trees up with spring decorations on them. She also has made several wreaths for various seasons and holidays.

"I make wreaths and I've given them away," Kelsey said. "I don't like to sell them."

When she's not busy decorating, she's making things to use for decorations. She said one of the hardest projects was making Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Kelsey was making miniature dolls so it was difficult adjusting the pattern to make something small. Kelsey was making good use of her Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls by placing them on yellow metal decorative trikes.

Although Kelsey enjoys decorating and making crafts, she is also passionate about her latest passion -- learning to play the violin. Kelsey has been practicing most mornings and is proud to say she has already memorized six songs.