Decisions

I'm sitting here in my recliner, on the computer, in a beam of rare sunlight. I have no blinds on the windows in the main part of the mobile home, so rain or shine, it's all there at the windows. I'm thinking that I should get a shower, dress and head to Mt. Rainier for a day trip. It's sunny. Not sure for how long. They had snow yesterday, but I've got 4WD on the Jeep, and however far I get is more sightseeing than I've done so far. Just gotta get going. I hope to be on the road by 10. Yes, it's been a lazy Sunday morning.

Back to Normal

I'm sitting at a Jeep dealership waiting while they do the first oil change on my new ride. Almost 6K miles. Actually, the past few months are probably the least I've driven a vehicle in many years. Just so much else going on. I made an early appointment, 8am, to get myself going on a rainy Saturday. How did I know it would be raining? It's the South Sound area... sigh...

I had planned to go to Mt. Rainer today but they are showing a major snow storm up there. Again. They say 8-22". Snow in the Olympics, too, so a detour to there is out. I may run up to Seattle to REI instead. I am ready to get out and about.

I think that most of the emergencies are under control now. My Dad is in a nursing home, and Mom had the appointment to see how much money they would let her keep. Turns out that it will be manageable. Not great, but manageable. Dad has stabilized. Again. At least he's not in pain, and mostly his mind is ok. He may make it to his 90th birthday in June after all.

I hate to use dealerships to work on my trucks, but to keep the lifetime warranty on the drive train I almost need to come here. They obviously aren't quick. Oh, well, it's a rainy Saturday anyway.

Sick

Out of nowhere this morning I noticed that my right ear felt stopped up when I got out of the shower. I couldn't find my Q-tips since I cleaned and put everything away last weekend. I went to work and felt worse as the day wore on. At lunch I notified the boss that I was heading home. Drank some Emergen-C, cleaned the ear out with hydrogen peroxide and a Q-tip and slept for 3 hours with the ear pointing down. This evening I've had left over Mexican food, more Emergen-C, and have done nothing but sit round. So far I feel better in general, and the ear doesn't feel quite as stopped up. I don't want to get sick since this weekend I want to head out and explore the area finally.

Started studying for my Security+ test, again. That is my next big goal, to pass that. I want to start doing yoga again, too. I have some DVD's to play with until I decide that I will actually get some good out of going to an actual yoga class again. As always, getting out and actually HIKING is a goal. No reason I can't work on all of these over the next few days. Assuming I'm not really coming down with something that has me confined to bed tomorrow...

Settling In

Nancye was here visiting for a couple of evenings. I took her to the airport this morning to fly back to Nashville. Her upcoming visit prompted me to go into high gear to get 'stuff' put away, unpacked, decluttered, etc. last weekend. Well, also it was snowing. I wasn't yet psychologically prepared to head out in snow, even with the 4WD on the Jeep. So, I stayed home and unpacked. As a result my place was actually somewhat like a home. I actually did kitchen stuff in the kitchen while she was here, and we could sit in the living room (she let me sit in my recliner and she took the camping chair) and read the computer and/or books. She scouted me a microwave at Goodwill, so for $15 I am back in the modern times. I can re-heat food again. There are just some things that I don't have the knack to reheat in the oven.

Dad is in the rehab center, and is actually getting physical therapy. Mom took his power chair (electric wheelchair) in to him this morning and he used that to go to therapy. He felt much better being back in his own chair. It would be really good financially if he can get strong enough to go home again. He still has a lot of issues. But, his basic health is still good. I really need to take better care of myself since I have long-lived folks on both sides of my family and unless I get stupid I will most likely be here for awhile. It would be nice to be able to enjoy it.

This coming weekend I am really going to try to make myself get out and explore around here. There are a few things I've been wanting to do. It may well snow again, but it doesn't stick, I have 4WD, and it's just time to get out and about.

Hermit

I've been in hermit mode since I got back from TN. First, my Dad has had more issues and is still in the hospital. His digestive system isn't working, basically. They were to run more tests. I've been sleeping a lot just catching up from my trip. Everything here is going ok. I'm slowly putting the stuff I moved into here away. I'm trying to get a routine going.

I drove up to Seattle one evening after work this week. Mostly just for a road trip. Seattle wasn't what I was expecting, but then nothing out here has been what I expected. I didn't fine REI even though I was within a block of it. I'll probably go back this weekend. I'm trying to get out and see more of the area.

Just not a lot going on out here yet.

Quick Update

Dad is doing much better. He is in a regular room, and tomorrow they may send him to a rehab center (read, nursing home) for therapy. This opens many more issues for my Mom.

I'm back in WA. I'm tired. The cats are active and seemed happy to see me.

And that is all I have energy to write tonight.

More Changes

I'm back in Nashville for a few days. My Dad took a turn for the worse. Mom took him to ER on Friday, and I flew in Saturday (yesterday). I walked into his hospital room and he brightened up. Mom hadn't told him I was coming. He was rattling when he breathed, and Moms said that had started about an hour before. I wasn't there 5 min and Mom put her coat on for us to leave. I would have stayed longer, but wasn't sure if she wanted to leave or just wanted to tell me something. We ended up going back to her place and then going out to get something to eat. She thought I was staying there, but I had already put my stuff back here at my empty house, so I came back here and slept on the floor in my sleeping bag. Mom called about 2am and said that the hospital called and were moving him to CCU because he was having touble breathing. Then they called again in a panic that he needed to go on a ventilator. Mom asked it that violated his living will, and could she take him off it if she decided it was what he wanted. She was told she could, so she gave the ok and then called me. I said leave him on it till this morning anyway. She was calling a nurse friend to ask her opinion, too. When we left Dad's room last night, I wasn't really ready to go but thought, well, I'll just come early and talk to him in the morning. Mom hasn't called back, and around 3:30 I gave up trying to sleep and just got on the computer. I'm waiting for 6am for McDonalds to open since I don't even have a cup to get a drink of water here right now.

Not sure what's going to happen. I knew when I asked for the time off that it would probably move right into bereavement leave. At least he saw me and knows I'm here. And, he may rally yet. He has before.