Yes, this kinda sucks

Bringing mom and the dog home to my house last July 4. Mom hates to fly, Lily had never flown and everything went fine. Flew first class, mom had breakfast and a movie and I had a Bloody Mary.

That trip was surreal. Her PA in Florida called me and said the doctor had reviewed her chart and wanted her in the hospital. Yea, the docs don't check the patients or their charts in a timely manner. As I had experienced Florida medicine before I was not going down that road. I called mom and told her after her needle biopsy on Wednesday I would be there, load her bags and dog and take her to Orlando to fly home to Michigan. She did not ask one question, just said okay.

So she went in and had the biopsy, finished packing, and Big Daddy and I arrived. I knew I could not do this alone. We packed the car and went to the breast clinic to pick up her records. This took one hour but the doctor was so nice and gave me his personal mobile number and said text if I can help. Best doctor in Florida.

Then we drove to Orlando, got rooms at the airport Holiday Inn and crashed. Fed mom and us and that was it. The next morning I loaded up the car, gave everyone a Dramamine and we were off. I dropped BD and mom at the curb and turned in the rental car. When I got to Delta First Class they were waiting and ready with the wheelchair and mom had TSA Precheck thanks to BD, or Mr. Diamond as he likes to call himself.

I was amazed how well this went. Only hiccup was I had to take Lily out of her crate and carry her through the machine. Well now, Lily had never before been in a crate and taking her out in the middle of TSA was kinda scary for me. She loved it, really loved it. Problem was at the other side I had to put her back in the crate all by myself. 'Cos of course I did not have the leash handy.

When we got to the gate I let BD go to the Sky Club as he was looking stressed. Everything was fine until we got back and BD had a problem getting the car back at Airlines Parking, they get shitty when you don't have your parking ticket. So from Tuesday's put her in the hospital, Wednesday's needle biopsy and Thursday's flight--Friday she was at my Internist and Monday at the Oncologist. What a trip.

As I predicted the UAW shut down the assembly plants.

New news everyone is unhappy with the "kids" not taking this seriously. HMMM.

Self preservation or take care of your own damn self, if you can

Harbor across from the Hilton Hotel downtown St. Augustine, this was the view from my balcony. God I will miss Susie my dear friend who died this January. We were best friends since Sophomore year in high school.

This is not what I set out to write about but what the hell, it is what my fingers are typing. When Susie moved here she was so happy. Northern Michigan was not her friend, never had been really and when the economy went to shit she and her hubs had to declare bankruptcy on their jewelry store and they moved to St. Augustine. They had jobs, a trailer, friends and a pool. They were fine.

And they loved Florida.

We saw them when we could and Susie and I  were always on the phone, except when we weren't. She could be prickly and a bitch and I do not always have the patience of Job or whoever the Bible guy is. She got breast cancer around 2013, then a year or so later it metastasized to bone cancer. She was on chemo maintenance for around 6 years. I started noticing the last year she seemed not right. I was not sure if I was correct, if maybe the pain meds were taking a toll, the chemo was taking a toll or just what the fuck was wrong. And at first it was too little to talk about and later I did not know what to say to whom. Her sister-in-law was supposed to visit in October and I thought great, someone else to check.

That visit did not happen. Family problems and shit. When I took mom home in November we stopped and had breakfast with Susie. She seemed tightly wound but okay. She was driving and making sense. Just before Christmas she started telling me she was having problems. It had been over a year since I saw my granddaughter due to all mom's problems so I was not anxious to say ya, I can do this for you. I wanted to see my family.  She started falling down and I talked to her sister-in-law when we were certain she needed medical care. I was not the person on the decision list, I was only her friend of 50 years. Then she told me she had water on the brain. Then it got crazy, because when you are talking to someone that has a messed up brain things do not come out clearly.

Our last conversation was so strange and then they loaded her into the ambulance. And then she died.

January 17,2020. Her birthday was the 15th of January and she saw nothing of her cards and heys on FB.

 It was actually brain cancer. From the breast cancer. That is how it works, the breast cancer cells seem to just roam around and find a new place to settle in some people.

I had to tell her SIL that I was not sure if they would have a easy time finding her stuff as she was really sketchy the last year and I know for a fact could not find things. I told her to put some things in the freezer and who knew if she did. I wore a ring, pink sapphires in a black setting and she just loved it, could not stop talking about it. I said  she could wear it, I never saw it again, it disappeared into the void.

Oh, I forgot to mention the year before her husband  died of lung, liver and brain cancer after a short illness. None of this was easy.

And thinking back how much of what she told me was correct, when did the brain mass really start making her reality suspect? God I miss her.

 And I am so glad she is not going through this current bullshit.

Making plans for the future, am I alone

Darn I don't think my video works so this instead. She speaks in real life.

That is my Halloween witch. She is hilarious and scares the cat and dog. When the dog barks it sets her off.  It is the only thing they agree on, besides 3 o'clock is cookie time.

When the dog goes out to pee the cat hides and waits and then chases Lily in, Lily knows this and runs in like she is in the derby. The cat also hisses and swats. The cat is declawed and can do no harm, Lily does not know this. Fun times. (Cat is a rescue and came this way)

I bought my aeroplane ticket to go get my mom. Not going until mid April but the prices are fantastic and no fee to change dates. Gotta do it. And I have to go get her, I cannot leave her there alone. I am the only one who will do this and not beg for money at the same time. I am just hoping and praying she does not get sick before I need to bring her back.

BTW, flying into Orlando this time. With Disney shut down and no kids the tickets are the cheapest to get to Florida right now. No need to fly into Jacksonville since Susie died, Ft. Myers prices are up and Palm Beach has lots of Covid-19 cases. Also lots of old people to spread these germs around.

Last year she was there until July 4 and she was sick. The heat was miserable, the doctors not great and appointments with specialists months in the future. She needs to see her oncologist and internist up here in early May. We want all this cancer to stay away. She also needs another mammogram and a follow-up with the breast surgeon. And I hope I can get her to the special bra place. The mastectomy has been very hard on her and the healing very slow.

Very soon mom and I will need to place her first Internet order at Publix for curb pick up. Fun times I can hardly wait to tell you about this.

Not a good week

The little nook where I sit when Big Daddy BBQ's.

This has been a sucky week. The job things and such.

Then we heard last night that Mr. RV did not make it through surgery. He knew the odds going in and decided the risk was worth it as he had a very poor quality of life. Mom will be back home today.

And if that was not enough my BFF from high school found out this morning she has breast cancer. She had the biopsy on Monday and has an appointment with a surgeon on the 15th. How horrid for her and she lost both her parents when she was younger so not a pretty picture.  Looks like a trip to Florida is in my future.  Good thing I have a ton of Skymiles, if they still let you use them.