The night before we were heading to Denver to deliver the dining room furniture, I fell down in the garage and bruised: head, ankle, thigh, wrist, and best/worst of all, dislocated the knuckle on my third finger, right hand. It didn't hurt (the dislocation only). I looked down, saw the finger, now pointing toward my thumb in the most odd way, and ( Read more... )

That's what it feels like: interminable, never-ending, soul-crushing emphasis on things, things, things, all to be minutely cataloged and appraised, divided, parceled out with great care and effort. I have three images in my mind. First, those little puzzles consisting of tiles in a tray that has only one open space, and you push the tiles around ( Read more... )

So, the good news: it didn't kill me and my kidneys appear to still function. The bad news: a week and a half later, I'm still dealing with days with very low blood pressure (under 100/55) when all I can do is lie in bed and curse my decision to have the Reclast infusion for my osteoporosis.  Getting the bill from the hospital raised the blood ( Read more... )

My eyes are crossed from two successive late nights of figuring out, to four places, how to divide lots of stuff 15% and 85%, the 85% further subdivided into 3rds, and one of those 3ds, in half, first listing everything by its legal name, how many shares, the value (to four places). Believe it or not, that is the easy part. The hard part: how do ( Read more... )

It's a long slow process, but getting through the settlement of step-dad's estate is comforting in a quiet way. My home life is shot, but I figure if I stick with this I'll be finished sooner. Emptying a house of 3 lives (Father, Mother, and now, Step-Father), plus bits and pieces of me and my sibs, that hasn't really had any significant culling ( Read more... )

Memorial service on Thursday, wake at the house afterward, to give our final "bon voyage". Tomorrow we'll clean house and set the table. He had no children but a very large extended family and friends. We always had to schedule an extra half hour at the grocery, to chat with everyone who stopped to say, "hello". I wonder if I have enough food and ( Read more... )

Step-dad finally gave out - it was a difficult last week for him; very little pain, but everything was closing down, and he could do very little for himself. That was probably as difficult as any  pain would have been. I do miss his sprightly sense of humor.

And now begins the gigantic task of closing down the house. Sad. Tired.

 Stepdad is, I think, on the way out. He can no longer walk or stand, has lost his appetite and is sleeping most of the time. His ninety eight years and many health issues are finally catching up. We're keeping him comfortable, and that means I get my share of night duty and trying hard to be a good nurse. I'm not physically strong enough to do ( Read more... )

Step dad is at home, with legs not working. He can barely stand, with help. That means care, 24/7, and it has been an education getting things set up. Also very tiring, as I am taking two nights at a time, sleeping there, tending him, and spending days arranging for the paying of bills, getting more help, getting equipment, moving furniture so the ( Read more... )

Stepdad fell down midnight Saturday last. No broken bones, but weakness in the legs has developed. We are waiting to see if there will be improvement, or whether this will be permanent. In the meanwhile, setting up care at his home, hoping for the best, and spending very little time here at my home, as I'm trading off night duty with my niece ( ( Read more... )