Update on Mom

Well, somehow she has done it.  She has gotten herself well enough to go home.  Mom is to be discharged from the hospital today.  She is too stubborn to die.  Now don't get me wrong, I don't want my mother to die.  It's just that when she was admitted, she was so sick it appeared death was inevitable.  Now she is going home.  She had nothing going for her at all so all I can chalk it up to is her stubbornness.

Her stubbornness is one of the many reasons I do NOT want her to die.  My mother is a hoarder albeit an extremely neat one.  She is too stubborn to get rid of anything and therefore has a houseful of items she doesn't need.  She will not listen to reason. She feels she is rational when she says there is no reason to throw out any of the 20 lapel pins with the name of her old employer on it.  (Every company has them but does anyone actually wear them)?   She can keep one but damn, 20?  They are all in their individual plastic bags in a drawer.  She has 6 animal crates of various sizes.  The only pet she has left is one cat.  One cat = one crate.  For the occasional trip to the vet.  She won't get rid of any of them because they were "expensive".  I told her we could sell them on Craig's list but she won't hear of it. She might get another pet she says.   Riiiight.......  She can't take care of herself.  All of her "pets" in the last 10 years or so have not been treated well at all.  They are physically sound but they receive no interaction.  Two dogs spent a lot of their time crated when they weren't outside, others in kennel runs.  She feeds them but doesn't play or interact with them.  They were lonely and depressed.  I did the best that I could when I was there but that was only every couple of weeks. It was sad.  She needs no other pets.  She hoards food.  She has two full refrigerators and a chest freezer that is packed as well.  There is just her.  She has started buying things and placing in my grandmother's freezer.  She has so many canned goods etc that are out of date that she will not throw out because "they're still good, they haven't been opened".  I'm not eating anything again that has come from that house.  She has boxes and boxes of sewing items. Materials, patterns, etc.  they are in file boxes stacked along entire walls and up to the ceiling.  There are baubles in cabinets, projects stacked on furniture.  The only place you can sit in the house is the couch (which she sleeps on) or two of the dining room chairs.  The table is covered in her latest project so there isn't a place to eat.  The kitchen counter tops and the bar is covered in food stuffs and miscellaneous junk so there is little room for food prep in a kitchen that has little counter space to begin with.  Her bed is covered in miscellaneous, stuff is stacked on the floor.  There are paths throughout the main level of the house.  The upstairs is fairly clean as she can't climb the stairs to get there.  So...  She has taken to stacking the binders of her crafting magazines up the steps.

The ambulance could not get a stretcher into the house.  She had to walk to the door.  She has learned nothing from this last trip to the hospital other than she needed to get her house phone fixed. (it has been out for almost a year, she didn't want to spend the $75).

When she does finally meet her demise, I am left to deal with the aftermath.  I don't think they make dumpsters big enough for what she has going on in that house.  I am going to try to talk to her today and will probably make her very angry with me when I suggest what needs to be done to keep her safe.  I'll keep you posted...

Thanksgiving Blessings

Update on my Mom. They were able to wean her off of the ventilator on Wednesday.  She is still sick and weak but is doing much better.  They were able to move her to PCU on Friday.  They anticipate she will be able to be released early next week.  I don't know where to as she can barely get around. I can't imagine she will be able to be at home alone.  I guess we will have to see what happens.  This Thanksgiving, I am definitely blessed with family and thankful God has seen fit to spare her at this time.

My Grandfather (my Dad's Dad) fell again this week and has been in the hospital since Tuesday.  He is to have a kyphoplasty (spelling?) on Monday.  My dad and stepmother came up on Wednesday late to be here with him so we have had house guests since.  It has been a very busy month.  CC and I don't know whether we are coming or going.  He has been extremely understanding of everything that has been going on.  Lord knows the action never stops here.

Yesterday and today was filled with decorating.  The inside of the house last night and the outside today.  We are decorated and festive despite the "bah humbug" CC gives me when I talk about it.  It's actually quite cute.  I'm hoping we can get back to some semblance of normal despite the holiday season that is upon us.

Living on the Edge

My mom is sick.  Very sick. She has a history of COPD, CHF, depression. She has been O2 dependent for 5 or so years.  She called me on Wednesday saying she needed to go to the hospital..

I arrived at her home. She was at the table, struggling for breath. She said she had given herself a breathing treatment but it wasn't working.  She was having chest pain. Tingling in her arms.  Coughing so much all of her abdominal muscles were sore. I told her I would not take her to the hospital, she needed an ambulance for that.

The ambulance came and she was off.  The ED staff worked long and hard with her.  She fought the BiPap machine and she allowed them to intubate her.  I don't think she ever thought she would but when you are struggling for air, you will try anything.  She was extremely dehydrated and her B/P continued to drop.  She was placed on the ventilator and had 3 pressors going trying to keep her pressure up.  The physicians did not think she would make it through the night.  She had pneumonia and was septic.  She had suffered a inferior MI.  She was starting to go into renal failure.   They found a bed and took her to CCU.

So, here we are in CCU.  Yesterday she was worse but today is doing better.  I think the antibiotics are beginning to work . She has decent urine output so kidneys are functioning.  She is getting rid of all of the fluid she was third spacing yesterday.  She can look at me and respond.  Her BUN and Creatinine are WNL today. Her ABGs are better, not great but better.  She seems to be coming around a bit. I hope that by early next week they can get her off of the ventilator.  They are talking about starting tube feedings today.  I guess I am okay with that considering she is improving. I know she would not want to live like this long term.  By no means is she out of the woods.  Anything can happen and things can turn so quickly.  She was just at the doctor's office on Tuesday and now all of this.  It kind of gives a new meaning to living on the edge...

Date Night

Waiting for our dinner!

CC and I had a date night Saturday (this is the reason for hiring the Son to watch the dogs)..  We had the most wonderful time!  We left Saturday afternoon around 1pm.  As it is Indian summer, the temperature was around 76 and was sunny.  The trip down to Nashville was a beautiful one.  We made good time and got to the hotel around 4.  CC was able to get us reservations at The Melting Pot.  I had never been and it we were within walking distance so we were off.  Downtown Nashville was busy.  Lots of foot traffic.  Apparently there was some sort of cheer competition as there were many little girls, all with ponytails and huge bows walking the streets with their parents. We arrived and were able to be seated almost immediately.  We had the "Big Night Out" which allowed you to choose an appetizer fondue, salad, entree and dessert.  The service was excellent!  It was a wonderful experience.  We did decide, however, that we would be able to make it on the appetizer and the dessert.  We were so full that we couldn't finish the dessert.  :(  Dining here is a rather lengthy ordeal so be prepared to spend quite a bit of time.  We were seated at 3:50pm and didn't leave until 6:00pm.  (Actually the fact it took so long was a selling point.  We were able to dine and then walk straight to Bridgestone Arena for the game.)

You can see from the picture, the weather was still mild.  No coats required!!  I don't know how CC managed to take this picture without getting Blackhawks in it.  They were everywhere!  We got inside, grabbed a couple of beers and found our seats.

The seats CC got for us were great (as usual).  We were directly across from where his season tickets were last year.  We had some friendly people sitting in our area (even though a few of them wore Blackhawk jerseys).

This game moved fast!!!!  It stayed fast paced through all three periods.  There was a lot of fighting and tension as well.  We could see quite a bit of it as most of it happened on our end of the rink.  The game tied so we went into overtime.  Still no score.


Soooo... It went to a shoot out.  AND WE WON!!!!  This game was so exciting!  He really picked a great one for us to see!

After the game we went to a place called Mulligans.  It was an Irish Pub on 2nd.  It wasn't an over crowded club like most places we passed by.  We were able to find a couple of chairs and listen to the band play Irish music (i.e. drinking songs).  CC was drinking Black and Tans and I was drinking Bass.  They were going down famously after that hard fought win by the Predators.  I think we had 4 pints apiece.  We met a couple who were in town from the same part of Missouri where CC's dad lives.  Mary and Kirk.  Mary was nice and shared a love of smoking with drinking and therefore gave me some of her cigarettes she bought for the occasion.  LOL!  I know! I quit!  But I am telling you, they go so well with beer when you are really tying one on which is what CC and I managed to do.  I think we had the equivalent of a case of beer between the two of us!

It began to sprinkle on our walk back to the hotel but it wasn't too bad.  I had remembered to take an umbrella so we didn't get too wet.  The walk seemed short and we were back in no time.  I was feeling a bit amorous and kept us up for a bit longer before shower and bed.    It was a great end to a perfect evening.  :D

We woke up this morning around 7:30 Nashville time and lounged.  I think we were feeling a bit rough. CC, taking care of me as always, got up and made me a cup of coffee.  We started feeling a bit perkier after showers and left for Noshville to meet up with Stephanie for brunch.  We had an excellent breakfast!  Coffee, French toast and bacon for me, a spinach, cheese and bacon omelet for CC and Stephanie had eggs and hash.  It was great seeing her and catching up on how everything has been going since the wedding.

The drive home was uneventful, we were just really tired and couldn't wait to be home.  CC really knows how to show a girl a great time!  We enjoy ourselves so much whenever we are together regardless of where we are and what we are doing.  We are just made for each other I think.  I cannot imagine ever being more in love or happier with anyone else.

Success!

The Son did a great job.  I am so pleased!  The house is intact, the dogs are great and there is no evidence of a kegger.  We were happy to pay him for the job he has done.  He is currently washing the cars for some additional money.  Backing up to last week~~ When CC gave his talk last week regarding the opportunity to make money he gave an example showing he could make 150-160 bucks when we go on trips.  Now he said we would start with an overnight but that we do like to go places and the amount of time would increase and then he gave the example.  Back to the story~~ Well apparently all he heard was blah blah blah $160.  So, he thought that is what he was going to make for staying the night in his own home and feeding and letting the dogs out.  Teenagers... So now he is washing cars for more money.  CC says he probably had something he wanted to buy with the money.  We decided that since he is in a money making mood, we would take advantage of it as we know it is short-lived.  :)

This is a Test... This is only a test....

Okay, well it is time for CC and I to take off again.  We just got back from Memphis and this weekend it is time for us to go back to Smashville.  The Predators are playing the Blackhawks.  We have had tickets for months.  After the poor treatment of the dogs with the local kennel, we were not going to return there.  I checked out several others and found some that have potential but two of the three I was considering does not have pick up on Sundays.  So, we are going to attempt to allow the Son to take care of them and the house.

I know!!!!  it sounds crazy...  BUT...
The Son has been wanting to prove to us he is responsible and can be trusted.  CC gave a great talk expressing our feelings regarding the dogs, I did the talk regarding the house.  CC explained how this is an easy money making venture and as we go a lot of places, he may be able to take care of things in the future as long as everything goes okay moving forward.  I am hoping this move helps him to be more responsible.  If not, well I hope the house is as intact as it was after the impromptu party he had his freshman year....

I have a couple of people who will be watching from afar.  I really want him to do well but have a safety net of a sort.  I guess he pays for my wonderful memory of what we did in high school plus my memory of what he has already done.  I want to be better.  Baby steps...  That is what I keep telling myself...  Cross your fingers.

It Was a Long Week...

... even longer for CC.  On Wednesday we left for Memphis to help his sister deal with his mother's belongings and to attend the memorial service.  We arrived at his father's without difficulty.  Traffic was fine.  We went to dinner at a restaurant called Tsunami.  It is Pacific Rim cuisine.  Quite tasty.  it was the highlight of the whole trip.  They have the most amazing potstickers.  If you are in the neighborhood, make sure to get them along with whatever tasty options you choose.  It was an excellent evening!

Thursday we went to the house to begin going through the belongings.  CC's sis had been down previously and had done a great job with going through most of the items.  We didn't have to work that hard to finish everything up.  It was hard for the two of them.  Not only are they trying to sort out what is there, but there are relatives stopping in to see what is going on and more importantly to them, what is going out of the house.  Times like this show people for what they really are.

Thursday night we met up with lil' bro and sis and her family for dinner at Memphis Pizza Cafe.  It was pretty good.  It was a chance for all of the kids to get together and talk and catch up without other family members milling about.  Everyone lives so far apart, visits are few and far between. 

Friday morning we got ready and packed up.  We were going to meet Sis at the MD office.  We were late (this was a constant the whole time we were there).  The siblings went inside, I stayed out in the car.  Of course, I couldn't have a boring time.  Some little old lady in her very big car hit CC's vehicle.  Not hard enough to do any damage but it rocked the car all the same.  She couldn't understand why she did not need to be pulled up as far as her nearest neighbor.  (They were NOT in their space).  At any rate, I had her back up and she tottered into the building.  The scariest part of the whole thing was the car seat she had in the back....  THAT is scary.  I can't believe someone would let her drive around their children.

We had lunch and went back to change.  We arrived at the church on time.  (Only because it was in walking distance of Sis's house).  It went off without a hitch.  I don't think anyone behaved badly.  At least not that I could see.  Afterward we went back to Sis's, changed and left for home.  We arrived around 1:30 am and were damn glad to be home.

Saturday we picked up the girls.  They were soooo stressed!  We will not be taking them back to that kennel again.  They are beside themselves by the time we pick them up.  I will be finding a new place to take them this week.  The Son hung out with friends.  CC worked on setting up the LCD TV in the basement.  During the process, he found a leak.  Apparently the shower in the master bath was leaking down into the weight room.  UGH!  Now I need to have a plumber come out.  We also need to determine if there is any structural damage to the floor joist.  He was able to get all of the cable issues figured out. 

We settled down that evening to watch a movie.  The Son called wanting to be picked up.  After the movie, I went to pick up the Son and two of his friends. The father of one of the boys ordered them a pizza and we drove to pick it up. Then we went across the parking lot to stop at the grocery.  We get home without incident.  Well, at least for a minute.  The Son can't find his phone.  We called it, looked for it etc.  The last place he had it was while waiting for me at the grocery.  We go back up, can't find it.  Go inside and ask, no deal.  What sucks is that it is an iPhone.  UGH AGAIN!

Sunday we spent running errands and going to the phone store.  It was time for an upgrade for me so I bought an iPhone 4.0 and had them set up my old iPhone 3GS for the Son.  Needless to say it was an expensive day. I have told the Son he will use that phone until he gets his own contract and buys his own phones as I'm done.  He loses that one and I will stick him with an old clam phone without even a camera.  it is stored in my office for just such an occasion....

Halloween Eve

With Halloween being on a Sunday, I thought I was going to get off easy.  I mean, not have to worry what kind of mischief the Son would cause in celebration of the occasion.  Boy was I wrong.

It started off innocently enough.  The Son left to go out with some friends.  One of his best friends was in town from D.C. and they spent most of the day visiting.  The events were reported to me second hand but here is the short version.  They all went to a party around 8pm.  The Son was drunk and belligerent by 10pm.  By 12:30, he was home.  Of course, I didn't know at the time.  I was asleep in my bed.

I woke to distant voices.  I could hear multiple voices coming from below me. (The Son's bathroom is under my bedroom).  I sent a text to CC asking how many kids came home with him.  ( I was still oblivious as there is always a houseful of kids).  Anyway, CC tells me six.  I walk down to the basement as it was a bit loud.  THAT is when I got the surprise...

Son was passed out on the floor.  He had thrown up on himself and apparently had urinated on himself before coming home.  He was lying on his side close to the commode.  Three of his buddies were in the bathroom with him trying to make sure he was okay.  THEN I saw SG.  (Slutty girlfriend).  She was wearing Son's sleeping pants like she was at a slumber party.  Tangent time.  This girl never speaks to me.  Not since I caught the two of them in bed.  She is still not on birth control and I am trying to find her home phone number to speak with her mother.  Somewhere along the line, Son told her she could stay the night at our house!  I don't effing think so! I looked at her, asked what they F#$% was she doing there.  The kids told me Son told her it would be okay.  I told the kids someone best get her out of the house.  She went into the family room texting madly and disappeared pretty quick.

Most of the kids split after I got up.  I told them he was fine.  He will wake up when he got cold and the tile probably felt good at the time. 

I started hearing a lot of noise around 2am.  I walk back downstairs and he is sitting up, weaving badly.  He had urinated on himself again and I suppose he was uncomfortable.  He had goosebumps.  I took off his t-shirt and changed his shorts.  Laid him on the dry tile and covered him as he was in no condition to walk.  I checked on him again at 6am and he had gotten into his bed so I knew he would live.

The kid didn't eat for almost three days.  Served him right.  Of course he has all of his friends making fun of him.  I hope he learned his lesson but I seriously doubt it.  His lesson will be learned as long as he can still remember how bad he felt.  That will fade with time.  Lord, will I live to see him grown?  He is wearing me out.