you are everything

Things are getting crazier. Mom is still recovering from her foot surgery that took place at the end of August. She's getting around a lot better now, and no major bandage changes are required anymore (I was doing all of her bandage changes), but she still needs a lot of help and isn't driving again yet. Just yesterday she realized I'll be gone all next week and she'll have to ask Dad if she needs help with something. She hates asking Dad for help - he's a total grouch when anyone asks him to do anything, it seems like.

So anyway, my schedule for the next little while:

Oct. 11-18 - Panic Extravaganza and trip to Seattle with darksylvia
Oct. 19 - Mom's birthday
Oct. 20 - Dad's eye surgery (outpatient, but can't drive for a while)
Oct. 22-24 - at my sister's; she's having surgery for a femoral hernia (outpatient, but can't lift her son for a while)
Unknown date in first 2 weeks of November - Dad's other surgery (um... being done by a colo-rectal surgeon... more serious than hemorrhoids... let's just leave it at that)
Nov. 13 - Black Gold concert in San Francisco

At least that month of craziness begins and ends with fun stuff. And there is a bit of a break, hopefully, after my sister's surgery.

I was planning to have surgery this year to get my VNS implant removed, but I don't think that's going to happen. At least the implant isn't causing me any problems. It's just weird that it's still inside my body when it's been turned off for longer than it was turned on.

Ah well. One day at a time. :-| Must get to bed. Up far too late as it is.

Huge thanks to everyone for their well wishes on my last post.  It must have helped - no pus pockets here!  It was 'just' a cold, although I feel like I'm still recovering from it.  I've just been exhausted and sleeping a ridiculous number of hours a day - though never more than 2 or 3 hours at a time UGH.  Add to that my monthly loathing of my uterus and my gradually increasing problems - back, neck and chest pain and headaches - due to my over-sized boobs... and things aren't fun physically.  But... that's all taking a back seat for the moment. 

Mom spent most of the day in the emergency room today.  Her blood pressure was really low (74/46) and she was really dizzy and lightheaded and nauseated.  They gave her IV fluids and did a ton of lab work and got her BP back up into the normal range.  The lab work really didn't show anything that just jumped out and said "this is what caused the drop in BP."  There were a few levels that were slightly off, but nothing really significant.  She's home tonight, but still not feeling well and has a doctor's appt. tomorrow.  I've had major issues with her doctor's prescribing habits for years now, and the fact that he's had her on BP medicine when she hasn't had high blood pressure in quite some time and has never had excessively high blood pressure makes me especially irritated now.  I've never met the man, but I plan to tomorrow.  One way or another, I'm going to that appointment with her.  I've been 'threatening' to accompany my Mom to one of her doc appointments for a long time now, and this ER visit today was the last straw.  There have been all sorts of other medication issues too, but I won't get into all that here.  My Dad sees this same doctor and has had the same kinds of problems with prescribing issues.  Nothing illegal, mind you.  Just an excessive belief in 'better living through chemicals' and dosing and drug choices that constantly make us all go "huh?"  So we'll see what he has to say tomorrow.

Now, I must try to get some decent, restful sleep.  Drugs will probably be necessary.