Time for an update
"I've put this off for far too long." Not intentionally, mind, it's just that there are SO many things going on right now, that keeping up with LJ and fandom and so on has just gotten really hard for me. Especially since three or more days a week, I have no access to a computer while I'm in Brooklyn. So for those of you who've kindly been following along with all this, I hope you'll forgive me for not being a better correspondent. I've put this saga behind a cut. Feel free to skip if you're not interested.
On November 14, Mom had the colostomy reversal surgery. Even though it was an incredibly long operation to hook everything back up (3-4 hours), she came out of it well. Physically, anyway. Although I thought getting rid of the accursed bag would make her very happy, her mental state has been in flux ever since. At first, she didn't think she had made it. A couple of days after the surgery, she kept asking me and everyone who walked into her room, "Am I alive?" And she wouldn't believe it when she was told, "Yes." She also thought that everyone else in the hospital was dead too. That was hard to deal with.
She ended up in the hospital for 10 days. The day before Thanksgiving was when she was moved to rehab. And that's when all the trouble began. (I should also mention that during the time she was in the hospital, I went for a second interview in Washington DC, but more on that later.) Mom was having bad stomach pains and diarrhea. It turned out to not be related to the surgery, but due to a bacterial infection commonly referred to as "C. diff." (Clostridium difficile). It's a communicable disease seen in hospitals and nursing homes, particularly in patients who have compromised immune systems. In my mother's case, because of all the antibiotics she's been given, the little SOB got a chance to run rampant thanks to the demise of all the rest of the bacteria in her gut.
So we've now had three weeks of misery. She's confined to a private room and is steadily becoming more and more convinced that she's not going to make it out. Physical therapy has to come to her because she's not allowed to go up to see them, and except for the nurses/techs and my weekly visit, she feels very isolated. Coupled to the previous mental issues, she's lost her will to fight. Fortunately, our trip to the surgeon last week was very promising. She's healing well and the wound is almost completely closed already. But if you don't want to get better, you won't, and I fear that that's what's happening now.
On another note, in among all this, I decided that there was no way she was going to go home to Brooklyn after this was over. Mainly because I will well and truly lose my mind. I went to see a really beautiful assisted living facility that is 10 minutes from my house, and if all goes well, Mom will move in there in a couple of months. Initially she fought me on the idea -- mostly because of the expense -- but now she realizes too that this is the best thing for both of us. I keep reminding her that she has so much to look forward to, to try to keep her spirits up. Some days it works. Others, not so much.
So now I have an apartment to clean out. And finances to settle, etc etc. It's a huge job alone. Funnily enough, It's actually a blessing that I'm not working, and can devote myself to this ;) Her lease is up at the end of February, so that does give me some breathing room. With any luck, the weather will hold and I won't be faced with too many snowstorms between now and then.
And on the job front -- as I mentioned above, while Mom was in the hospital, I went to DC for a second interview (up and back from NYC on Amtrak). I was one of three candidates and although they told me I was very strong, I didn't get it. But maybe just as well, as I said. Who knows? I guess I'll have a job eventually. Just have to pray that my unemployment doesn't stop any time soon. Luckily, I have a small consulting job I'm currently doing, that brings in a little money -- and I mean little literally. Every bit helps though.
But...I did get to go to Berlin at the end of October for 5 days, to attend a special Rammstein rehearsal show. I won the ticket from our offical fan club. I could write an entire entry on that, and maybe I will sometime. For now, suffice it to say that it was definitely the highlight of this whole miserable year. To be that close to my beloveds, in a "room" with only 249 others, will surely kill the concert experience for me for forever more! Pretty hard to top being right under Richard's feet, and to be able to feel Till's eyes on me. Oh baby...
So that's the story. We're still here, all sorts of crap is still happening -- literally -- and hey, it's Chrstmastime. Thanks to those who have or will send cards -- I hope you'll understand that I won't be able to reciprocate. I just can't manage it. But I hope everyone is happy and well and enjoying a wonderful holiday season.
On November 14, Mom had the colostomy reversal surgery. Even though it was an incredibly long operation to hook everything back up (3-4 hours), she came out of it well. Physically, anyway. Although I thought getting rid of the accursed bag would make her very happy, her mental state has been in flux ever since. At first, she didn't think she had made it. A couple of days after the surgery, she kept asking me and everyone who walked into her room, "Am I alive?" And she wouldn't believe it when she was told, "Yes." She also thought that everyone else in the hospital was dead too. That was hard to deal with.
She ended up in the hospital for 10 days. The day before Thanksgiving was when she was moved to rehab. And that's when all the trouble began. (I should also mention that during the time she was in the hospital, I went for a second interview in Washington DC, but more on that later.) Mom was having bad stomach pains and diarrhea. It turned out to not be related to the surgery, but due to a bacterial infection commonly referred to as "C. diff." (Clostridium difficile). It's a communicable disease seen in hospitals and nursing homes, particularly in patients who have compromised immune systems. In my mother's case, because of all the antibiotics she's been given, the little SOB got a chance to run rampant thanks to the demise of all the rest of the bacteria in her gut.
So we've now had three weeks of misery. She's confined to a private room and is steadily becoming more and more convinced that she's not going to make it out. Physical therapy has to come to her because she's not allowed to go up to see them, and except for the nurses/techs and my weekly visit, she feels very isolated. Coupled to the previous mental issues, she's lost her will to fight. Fortunately, our trip to the surgeon last week was very promising. She's healing well and the wound is almost completely closed already. But if you don't want to get better, you won't, and I fear that that's what's happening now.
On another note, in among all this, I decided that there was no way she was going to go home to Brooklyn after this was over. Mainly because I will well and truly lose my mind. I went to see a really beautiful assisted living facility that is 10 minutes from my house, and if all goes well, Mom will move in there in a couple of months. Initially she fought me on the idea -- mostly because of the expense -- but now she realizes too that this is the best thing for both of us. I keep reminding her that she has so much to look forward to, to try to keep her spirits up. Some days it works. Others, not so much.
So now I have an apartment to clean out. And finances to settle, etc etc. It's a huge job alone. Funnily enough, It's actually a blessing that I'm not working, and can devote myself to this ;) Her lease is up at the end of February, so that does give me some breathing room. With any luck, the weather will hold and I won't be faced with too many snowstorms between now and then.
And on the job front -- as I mentioned above, while Mom was in the hospital, I went to DC for a second interview (up and back from NYC on Amtrak). I was one of three candidates and although they told me I was very strong, I didn't get it. But maybe just as well, as I said. Who knows? I guess I'll have a job eventually. Just have to pray that my unemployment doesn't stop any time soon. Luckily, I have a small consulting job I'm currently doing, that brings in a little money -- and I mean little literally. Every bit helps though.
But...I did get to go to Berlin at the end of October for 5 days, to attend a special Rammstein rehearsal show. I won the ticket from our offical fan club. I could write an entire entry on that, and maybe I will sometime. For now, suffice it to say that it was definitely the highlight of this whole miserable year. To be that close to my beloveds, in a "room" with only 249 others, will surely kill the concert experience for me for forever more! Pretty hard to top being right under Richard's feet, and to be able to feel Till's eyes on me. Oh baby...
So that's the story. We're still here, all sorts of crap is still happening -- literally -- and hey, it's Chrstmastime. Thanks to those who have or will send cards -- I hope you'll understand that I won't be able to reciprocate. I just can't manage it. But I hope everyone is happy and well and enjoying a wonderful holiday season.