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Thursday, January 21, 2010

Winter Whee!

Holy smokes, Batman! An entire week without posting. Umm yeah, that's not good. At. All. My apologies. I mean, not that there are any die hard readers anyway but nonetheless --

MIL has chosen again to go down the "Piss Us Off Trail." She's good at that. You'll remember that she fell in October and has taken a very long time to heal. But over the last few weeks it's been a mess with her losing keys, medications, address books, etc. My honey fills up her medication box weekly so all she has to do it take out the AM and PM pills at the right time. But in a recent scan of her apartment, there were Vicodin pills laying helter skelter all over the place. There has been a stove burner left on high with nothing on it. She has broken a glass and was unable to get to the floor to clean it up. She can't take out her dog to crap any longer so he goes upwards of 12 hours without going out. It's not pretty. So, another cry for attention because she loves it so well, she calls 9-1-1 in the middle of the night for a trip to the ER. She is there around an hour before she screams that "she's going home and not staying any longer." Huh? Why did you come here in the first place? She treats the nurses and doctors like crap. She tells people off. She is rude and inappropriate. Until someone outside the family comes to visit....then she is all peaches and cream, smiling, happy, talks about her Bible studies and such. We can't figure out if this is Doctor Jekyll or Mr. Hyde. To his giant credit, my lover boy has done his best to be diplomatic and still point out that her behavior cannot continue. Whee! Around we go again! She's supposedly headed home today. To live alone. To not be able to take care of herself. I think I'm going to steal one of those aforementioned Vicodin ASAP. And one of my new favorite cocktails.....crushed ice, Canadian Club, a squeeze of fresh OJ right from the fruit, and Diet Spring/7up. Delicious. It goes well with Vicodin, doesn't it? I have this sinking feeling that my upcoming bachelor weekend is in jeopardy.

January 31 will mark the 10th anniversary since our company's airline disaster off the southern California coast. I remember the day quite well. We knew several folks on board. We had worked that particular aircraft numerous times including only a week or so before it buried its head into the Pacific Ocean. I am thankful for my life today and will do my best to continue to strive for better things in life.

We discovered dried blood inside Mason's left ear. A trip to the vet (because the hospital with MIL wasn't quite enough in one day) confirmed a giant yeast infection in his ear. Cleaned it out and sent us home with antibiotic gel twice a day. He is much better but, for some reason, doesn't like to have clear liquids squirted into his ear. I discovered a few spring bulbs trying to poke their heads out of the ground while I was on a walk with Mason the other day -- a very good sign indeed.

I'm on day two of six in this stretch of flying. Appears to be 10,824 miles this week. It looks like this: PDX-SAN-SJD-SAN-PDX-SAN-PDX-SAN-SJD-SAN-PDX-PHX-PDX.

15 comments:

LSL said...

Lewis - whoa. That is some intense stuff with the MIL. I'm so sorry. it just doesn't seem to stop. That woman needs to be in a full-time care facility.

I'm glad little Mason is ok, although I don't think I'd like liquid being squirted in my ears, either!

I remember that airline crash very well. I flew a few days afterwards on the same route (and then down to Mexico) and it was a very sad flight - lots of tears. I remember the desk agent being very nice when I was checking in, and the huge flower arrangements on the counters beside the agents. I'll take a minute today to think of all you guys.

And you know I'm a die hard reader :o)

Blair said...

Man, that MIL sounds like a real dozy! What, it's my mom you're talking about...well, she IS a real dozy.

Thanks for the kind words though you know I couldn't do it without YOU! And I am so thankful to have not picked up on her bad habits.....

Thanks for keeping me in check and helping me to stay strong. I have had to reach in places I didn't know I had to keep up the strength to deal with this alone. It is so hard to do when you are the only other family here and we have to face this head on each and every day. I love you for that more than you will ever know!

Looking forward to a BIG hug tomorrow morning. In the meantime, don't float away in sunny Southern California. And remember, you have the webbed feet if needed.

Stephen said...

Sorry about MIL trouble. My mother loved the Husband more than me.

Love to little Mason. What we do for our critters!

Sorry, but because I love your blog. I tagged you for a meme:
http://nopoboho.blogspot.com/2010/01/it-is-all-about-meme.html

Anonymous said...

miss your blog....hope Mason is feeling better.

Do let me know when you want me to pay of visit to the MIL.

I have the perfect "pillow"!

Edmund

Unknown said...
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Jim said...

I'm a die hard reader! I've missed you (even though I take a sneak peek at your life on facebook).

Um, by the way... did you know your husband's buttocks are on Idle Eyes and Dormy? hehehe...

Keep strong for each other and for the MIL. {{hugs to all of you}}

Ur-spo said...

MIL sound like one of my patients. are you sure she doesn't live here in Phoenix?

wcs said...

You have more die-hard fans than you realize. :)

Lemuel said...

Your MIL reminds me a bit of my own MIL and my own mother in their last years. Good luck. It's a wild ride.

Birdie said...

Hugs to the two of you as you deal with your MIL's dementia. I know the day looms soon when you will have to find managed care for her. Not easy for anyone. On the outside chance that her behavior has a nutritional cause, you might ask the doctor to check her B12 levels. An injection might make a difference.

anne marie in philly said...

I second LSL; not that I am being mean, but I don't want to see your MIL set her house on fire, etc.

MIL kinda reminds me of spouse's uncle - would leave the stove on, would overmedicate, etc. he is now in a 24/7 care facility and doing much better.

plus it would give you and blair time to devote to each other and mason, which you surely deserve.

{{{{{hugs}}}}} for the difficult decisions to be made in the VERY near future.

Wayne said...

Good luck with the MIL. And I'm thinking LSL is probably right.

Mark in DE said...

I know the situation with your MIL has been hard on you and Blair. You both are to be commended for doing so much for her and putting up with so much from her. Hopefully the situation will improve soon and you two can get back to a 'regular' life. Hugs to you both!!

Unknown said...

trying to look on the bright side: at least she didn't burn anything in the skillet that wasn't there when she had the burner on.......

i recall having the same type of med problems, only i was drinking at the time. no wonder i couldn't remember what i'd taken!

speaking of drinking and your "cocktail". there's no vodka or gin in it? i don't see how it can possible aide in any way shape or form.......

mason? yeast infection in the ear? does he know that he's a boy dog? and that yeast infections are something that girls get but NOT in the ears?????

maybe armageddon is nearing.....

Unknown said...

what the heck?????? sorry brother, i'll go figure this out. grrrrrrr