Life, in a nutshell
My mother called yesterday and, despite knowing little about technology, managed to trip up some setting on my cell's voicemail that marked her call urgent. Turns out that my grandfather is in the hospital and not doing so well. He was doing okay at the recent family reunion (which I skipped because I'd already committed to doing the 3-Day and because I was avoiding some other issues) but woke up with trouble breathing on Monday and was admitted to the hospital. He took a turn for the worse on Tuesday. The additional factor in all of this is that he and Grandma were staying at my Uncle's in the wilds of Northern Michigan. So the turn for the worse involved transferring him yesterday to the "big" hospital in Marquette. They are still doing more tests but there's fluid in his lungs (and a blood clot maybe) and his heart isn't beating right. He's 81, overweight, and not very active, with mid-stage Alzheimer's. So, treatment options aren't many and prognosis isn't good. But if you have a spare moment, think good thoughts for George A. Bush (my mother wanted me to make sure to use his middle initial so the hospital wouldn't be confused...like any other George Bushs would be there!).
I was already home sick and I spent parts of yesterday crying and trying to figure out how to swing a visit. Today I committed and bought a plane ticket and will be flying to Detroit early tomorrow. There's an 8-hour drive to Marquette on Saturday, a visit on Sunday, a return drive on Monday, and I fly back here Tuesday. All of this could change depending on his status.
I'm taking my laptop because I have some work meetings I have to call into. Of course, my parents only use dial-up and I've never used the modem in my laptop, don't even know what the work dial-up number might be. So I don't know if I will be checking mail or here or what.
Now I have to wrap things up here so I can go home and do some laundry and not pack toiletries. Many thanks to letters_to_ed for getting me a Mixfest ticket.
I was already home sick and I spent parts of yesterday crying and trying to figure out how to swing a visit. Today I committed and bought a plane ticket and will be flying to Detroit early tomorrow. There's an 8-hour drive to Marquette on Saturday, a visit on Sunday, a return drive on Monday, and I fly back here Tuesday. All of this could change depending on his status.
I'm taking my laptop because I have some work meetings I have to call into. Of course, my parents only use dial-up and I've never used the modem in my laptop, don't even know what the work dial-up number might be. So I don't know if I will be checking mail or here or what.
Now I have to wrap things up here so I can go home and do some laundry and not pack toiletries. Many thanks to letters_to_ed for getting me a Mixfest ticket.