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plonqThe fact that I have been very quiet here lately might lead some to think that there is not much going on in my life right now. The fact is that there is too much going on in my life at the moment, and though I have made several aborted attempts to post here about it, I never know where to start. A motivational speaker at a company-sponsored course I attended a few years ago managed to sneak a few, common-sense gems into an otherwise lame course. One of those gems was his advice to "look after the big things in your life and don't sweat the small shit or you will get buried under the volume".
Big Thing #1: Dad's health is failing. I won't go into fine detail about his medical woes, but Mom summed it up the other day; "Your dad has been sliding for the past year. Sometimes he levels off, but then he hits a skid and slides faster." He is in the hospital for now, and if they can't get him back on his feet then he may have to spend the rest of his life in assisted care. Mom sounded exhausted when I talked to her earlier this week, and I guess I can't say that I blame her. This has been really hard on both of them.
Even though we are scheduled to drive out there this summer (hopefully in a new car), I booked last minute return tickets to the coast. We are going to fly out there on Saturday and return on Tuesday. I am hoping that a surprise visit will boost his spirits a bit (he has been asking for awhile when we were planning to come out again). I also have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that at the rate things are going, there is a chance he might not be there this summer.
Earlier this week I vowed that I didn't want my next visit home to be for his funeral, so damn the expense. We're heading out in a couple of days to see my folks.
Big Thing #1: Dad's health is failing. I won't go into fine detail about his medical woes, but Mom summed it up the other day; "Your dad has been sliding for the past year. Sometimes he levels off, but then he hits a skid and slides faster." He is in the hospital for now, and if they can't get him back on his feet then he may have to spend the rest of his life in assisted care. Mom sounded exhausted when I talked to her earlier this week, and I guess I can't say that I blame her. This has been really hard on both of them.
Even though we are scheduled to drive out there this summer (hopefully in a new car), I booked last minute return tickets to the coast. We are going to fly out there on Saturday and return on Tuesday. I am hoping that a surprise visit will boost his spirits a bit (he has been asking for awhile when we were planning to come out again). I also have this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that at the rate things are going, there is a chance he might not be there this summer.
Earlier this week I vowed that I didn't want my next visit home to be for his funeral, so damn the expense. We're heading out in a couple of days to see my folks.
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no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 12:32 am (UTC)I mean, it's not like your cat has a bladder infection, or something.
no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 12:50 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 01:26 am (UTC)LiveJournal says we're friends. LJ defines "friendship" as someone whose blog you'd actually like to read every now and then, and who reads yours in return. For me, anyway, that's good enough to be sorry that your old man's in pain, and sorry for what that means for you.
Weird how this sort of new-generation social dynamic works.
Anyway, good luck with the whole visiting thing, and the whole Dad thing. I don't really know you, in the traditional "Have I physically met this guy and shaken his hand?" sense, but I mean it. Really, and truly. Seriously. I hope it doesn't hurt too much, and that life carries on in a way that's good for you.
Good luck, mate.
(/unlurk)
no subject
Date: 2008-03-14 02:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-03-16 04:34 pm (UTC)