Who Needs Guiding Light?
Since
Guiding Light was canceled, I think my life could more than fill the void of that soap opera.
To start with, my cousin who I affectionately refer to as "Druggie!Cousin," died September 26th. She went out to smoke a cigarette and when her husband came out to check on her, she was dead. No known cause of death, but the autopsy results are pending. Damn, I've heard cigarettes can kill you, but... She lived 100 miles away, but her husband decided to have a "celebration of life" ceremony here and she was buried in his hometown October 3rd.
I missed her memorial here. And I'm possibly in some trouble because of it all. This is a rough and painful story.
That Friday, Mom became disoriented, complaining of pain, and nauseous. I tried to get her up to her potty chair (which I moved next to her chair,) but she kept falling back into her chair. Then the really icky, unhappiest thing happened. She threw up and soiled herself in every way possible. Nearly vomiting myself, I tried again to get her on her potty chair so I could wash her off. I managed to get her gown off, but she fell back into her chair (and the mess) and began calling me "Mama."
I called for an ambulance.
Once she was headed to the ER, I got David settled down, threw on clothes (I was wearing my customary shorts and t-shirt) and raced to the hospital. By that time, Mom is not only not making sense, she's making nonsense noises for words. I could only hold her hand, talk to her gently and brush her hair back from her forehead. Then the phone rang.
Adult Protective Services insisted on getting my permission to break down the door to our house to check on David who wasn't answering the door. Uh, that could be because he's a quadriplegic. So they were semi-placated by my promise to meet the police there in 30 minutes. Racing home, I let the police in who asked David if he was okay, he said he was and they left. So I raced back to the hospital, where the social worker there had questions for me about my mother's car.
I may be up on criminal neglect charges.
There have been five different social workers who have heard the circumstances, assured me that the EMS drivers over-reacted. Then another social worker calls.
Mom had an infection in her blood. She was hospitalized from Friday to yesterday, then transferred to a rehab facility, for more IV antibiotic therapy and physical therapy. It's short term, but it still hurt me to leave her yesterday in a nursing home. The doc thinks she needs some strength training to be able to get up and down easier. Today, I couldn't even go see her as I've had a combination headache all damn day.
I'm frantically cleaning as one cop did mention the house was full of a "lot of stuff here". But the stress and emotional strain of so much is making me physically ill. My aunt and uncle said they'd help, but they are both grieving so much, they really can't help me. Drunk!Cousin, who abhorred her sister, can't help as she's "too upset" over her "dear, sweet sister's" death and busy with work. But Drunk!Cuz has called me numerous times to give me... oh God, bad information, useless advice and pointless insights. She told me that our house could be condemned if the police thinks its bad. She's told me that Mom has "never been the same since her husband died, and I think she's given up on living and is just going to die." And she's told me that I should frantically clean. I told David that he's going to talk to her next time she calls.
At least Mom is back into her right mind. She knows the nursing home is temporary. I just wished I could have seen her today.
I'll try to update again soon. It's just been weird here lately. I've been fighting the blues for a bit, now all this stress. I've gotten several e-mails from people, which makes me feel better. I miss you all.
Guiding Light was canceled, I think my life could more than fill the void of that soap opera.
To start with, my cousin who I affectionately refer to as "Druggie!Cousin," died September 26th. She went out to smoke a cigarette and when her husband came out to check on her, she was dead. No known cause of death, but the autopsy results are pending. Damn, I've heard cigarettes can kill you, but... She lived 100 miles away, but her husband decided to have a "celebration of life" ceremony here and she was buried in his hometown October 3rd.
I missed her memorial here. And I'm possibly in some trouble because of it all. This is a rough and painful story.
That Friday, Mom became disoriented, complaining of pain, and nauseous. I tried to get her up to her potty chair (which I moved next to her chair,) but she kept falling back into her chair. Then the really icky, unhappiest thing happened. She threw up and soiled herself in every way possible. Nearly vomiting myself, I tried again to get her on her potty chair so I could wash her off. I managed to get her gown off, but she fell back into her chair (and the mess) and began calling me "Mama."
I called for an ambulance.
Once she was headed to the ER, I got David settled down, threw on clothes (I was wearing my customary shorts and t-shirt) and raced to the hospital. By that time, Mom is not only not making sense, she's making nonsense noises for words. I could only hold her hand, talk to her gently and brush her hair back from her forehead. Then the phone rang.
Adult Protective Services insisted on getting my permission to break down the door to our house to check on David who wasn't answering the door. Uh, that could be because he's a quadriplegic. So they were semi-placated by my promise to meet the police there in 30 minutes. Racing home, I let the police in who asked David if he was okay, he said he was and they left. So I raced back to the hospital, where the social worker there had questions for me about my mother's car.
I may be up on criminal neglect charges.
There have been five different social workers who have heard the circumstances, assured me that the EMS drivers over-reacted. Then another social worker calls.
Mom had an infection in her blood. She was hospitalized from Friday to yesterday, then transferred to a rehab facility, for more IV antibiotic therapy and physical therapy. It's short term, but it still hurt me to leave her yesterday in a nursing home. The doc thinks she needs some strength training to be able to get up and down easier. Today, I couldn't even go see her as I've had a combination headache all damn day.
I'm frantically cleaning as one cop did mention the house was full of a "lot of stuff here". But the stress and emotional strain of so much is making me physically ill. My aunt and uncle said they'd help, but they are both grieving so much, they really can't help me. Drunk!Cousin, who abhorred her sister, can't help as she's "too upset" over her "dear, sweet sister's" death and busy with work. But Drunk!Cuz has called me numerous times to give me... oh God, bad information, useless advice and pointless insights. She told me that our house could be condemned if the police thinks its bad. She's told me that Mom has "never been the same since her husband died, and I think she's given up on living and is just going to die." And she's told me that I should frantically clean. I told David that he's going to talk to her next time she calls.
At least Mom is back into her right mind. She knows the nursing home is temporary. I just wished I could have seen her today.
I'll try to update again soon. It's just been weird here lately. I've been fighting the blues for a bit, now all this stress. I've gotten several e-mails from people, which makes me feel better. I miss you all.