My update

[peako]

We flew to Detroit on the Thurs 25th, pretty uneventful flight but there was some wicked turbulence which (ironically) lead ds and I to say "weee, I love rollercoasters, everyone put your hands up" this is from a Saturday Night live skit about Michael Jackson that we saw years ago. Got off the plane and learned that MJ had passed away. Got our lugage our rental car and headed to our hotel for the night. It had no power and they didn't expect any till the morning. We decided to find somewhere else, somewhere else ended up costing $50 more, yeah!

Fri we drove to my parents and had a short visit. My Mom seemed okay but she is suffering from some dementia, other than that both her and my dad seemed to be coping with her meds and drs' appointments. We left and drove up to Toronto (4 hour drive) where we stopped for dinner, drinking and reminising with dear friends. For the adults it was great. Ds and her boys so truly enjoy each other's company also even though we don't see them more than once a year if that. Stayed way too late, got to our hotel after 1 that was a 1 hour drive.

Woke up Sat, had a short visit with MIL. did some shopping to get stuff for a party with Dh's childhood friends then went to the party. It was a great night! We saw some friends that we hadn't seen in years and some that try to see us each visit. Thankfully some people brought their children and ds had fun although apparently according to him he was beatten up by 12 & 8 year old girls. LOL At least he didn't hit back which was probably why he took a beating. At 3 am one of the kids came up to ask her dad if they were ever going to leave and we were shocked by how late it was so everyone cleared out.

Sun woke up dh couldn't find his wallet, panic ensued, searched his friends house and the garbage from the night before. Turned out he "thought" he had on the same shorts from the previous night but didn't and his wallet was safely in the suit case in the pocket of his other shorts. Drove 1.5 hours to BIL's house for a family get together. That was fun, we were really thankful to not be served burgers for a 3rd dinner in a row. Me a great nephew for the 1st time he was a sweetie and I think it hurt my MIL's feeling that he let me hold him but wouldn't go to her. One of dh's other nephews had literally just become a dad but the baby had been fussy the night before and it was 4 weeks premature so they didn't come. Unfortunately we didn't make it to there place to see the baby either, too much to do and not enough time. Stayed at BIL that night.

Mon got up, drove 1.5 hours back to MIL's area, dh spent most of the day fixing their 2 computers. I heard alot of "Why do you have that?" and "If you don't use it get rid of it" and stuff like that. She cracks me up, she was talking about Google but was saying it "go gle" and dh didn't know the the heck she was talking about. Checked into our hotel for the night then went to the Mandarin for Chinese Buffet, it was great. We went back to MIL's so dh could continue his work, I ducked out to visit a different old friend it was good to connect with her.

Tues drove back to Toronto, met my sister, spent some time with her.

Wed drove to Windsor, got a call while driving from my sister saying that our other sister had called her to tell her that our Mother was in the hosptial. Something had happened during the day and by late that night my Mom decided she needed to go to the hospital. At the hospital her heart rate was way out of wack, they tried to shock it back but that didn't work, her oxygen levels were bad and they determined she had a bladder infection. We got there and she was still in Emergency waitting to be admitted. She was barely lucid, at times not even lucid. I was asked to confirm that my Mother's wishes were DNR. Strangely enough my Mom picked that moment to be lucid and yelled at the Dr that he shouldn't be talking about her with her daughters, if he had something he should talk to her, I told her what the dr had asked and she said "I don't want you to keep me alive on machines". I sat with her and she fell asleep. She woke up agitated and saying she had to go pee, she had a catheter in. Can you hold your pee with a catheter? She wanted to use the toilet, that is basically all she repeated over and over for an hour. Finally my sister agreed to help her onto the portable toilet to humor her. It was then time for shift change and the policy in the ER is that all visitor had to leave for 1/2 hour while the incoming nurses got up to speed on what was going on. We made sure the b!tch who insited we leave understood that my Mom was likely to fall and hurt herself if left alone. My sister who is a nurse at that hospital tried to explain that maybe the nurse should go get up to speed on my Mother before suggesting we leave her alone but we ended up being told to leave and had to worry and hope for the best. Thankfully nothing happened. They moved her to the Cardiac floor later that night. At my father and sisters urging we kept our plans with my niece and her daughter driving to Ohio to spend the next day at an amusement park with the kids.

Thursday had a great day with my brother, his girl friend, niece, great niece, dh and ds at Cedar Point. The weather was mild, the park wasn't too crowded. Our longest wait was 1 1/4 hour from the point we got in line till we were off the ride. I really would have liked more time or to not be dragging as many people around so that we would have gotten more ride time or even better have a Star treck transporter that just popped me at the front of each line with no walking. If you like rollercoasters Cedar Point is the best place. My great niece went on one ride with us and it was priceless, it swung you almost upside down going forward and back, she was okay till it really got going then on the forward route would be "I don't like this, I don't like this, I'm going to throuw up" on the backward route she was "wee, I'm flying I like this"

Drove back to Windsor late Thurs night. Found out later that day that over night Wed my Mom had gotten worse, fluid was backing up and causing problems, they did get her stable and by the time I saw her on Fri she was actually pretty good.

Saturday visited my Mom then my sister had a bbq for the family, it would have been much better with my Mom and Dad at it. Had a good time with my neice, nephew and their kids. Ds actually played with the kids and had fun with them now that they are all 4 & 5, two years ago he didn't want to be in the same house as them. I'm sure my nephews boys are asking when they can play with ds again. My sister is on her way to becoming a cat lady, she has 17 of them. She had 3 sets of kittens at different stages, ds had great fun with them and her dog. Watching ds play with her dog did make me feel guilty that I won't let him have another one but not that guilty.

Stopped by the hospital and visited my Mom before leaving for the airport for our early Sunday mornng flight.

I am going to have to plan a visit back to my parents in the next little while. I will tell a white lie that we got bumped from our flight and that I am using free vouchers from that to make things easier. My family seems to feel that coming to the hospital or to their burial would be a waste of time and money and that I shouldn't do it. They both don't want a funeral, wake, memorial of any kind. My dad went so far as to say we could put him out in trash bags for the garbage man to take. My mother doesn't want to be embalmed so my dad's thought is that by the time they told me and I could get there there I wouldn't be able to see my Mother anyways. I guess they don't get that the funeral is as more for the loved ones left behind.

They still don't really know anything. My sister said my Mom had a small heart attack but my Mom and Dad both said no. My sister talked to the dr the other day about some concerns she had based on the results of some blood tests but his response was "wait till Mom when her dr is here" I guess it really doesn't pay to be in over the weekend.

So that is what I've been up to.

[pattycakemom]

I am sorry that your mom is sick. It sounds like you did enjoy your vacation though as much as you can with your mom being sick.

[Lois]

Wow what a trip....you managed to fit quite a bit in it sounds like. Sorry about your mom. LOL at your ds with the littler ones....my girls adore my friends two teenage boys and constantly want to visit (we are 4 hours away). Now one is going off to college and the other now has his drivers' license so I think my girls will be disappointed, not sure the boys will be though! Good thoughts for your mom!

[MarieL]

Wow, my head was spinning just reading all you managed to fit in, on your trip.

Sorry to hear about your mom, I'm sure it's hard being so far away and not knowing what's really going on.

[MarinaTwinMom]

Wow. That sounds like quite a trip!

I'm sorry that your mother was so ill. It's good that you got to spend time with her even though she ended up in the hospital. Sending good thoughts her way and hoping she's feeling much better soon.

I like your idea about telling her you're using vouchers, so you can visit again soon and she won't fuss about your spending $$ on the plane tickets.

[tle]

I'm sorry it was such a whirlwind . . . not quite what you'd hoped for or wanted. You're wise to tell them you're using vouchers.

Take care of you.

[Kylie]

We were at Cedar Point on Thursday too, did you see us ? It was great except for the few episodes of light rain . Sounds like you packed a lot of visiting, fun, and hospital adventure into your trip. I hope your mom is well now.

[katrack]

My parents are pretty much like yours--DNR and a simple or NO funeral.

You've been one busy lady!

[Joey]

Wow...a busy few days.

It sounds like it was great to see family but a rough time with your Mom. I laughed at your trash bag comment. How often did my dad say that. I still chuckle whenever I think about it. I don't think parents are really serious when they say things like that...it's just their way of dealing with the inevitable.

[MaryK-MN]

All that in a week?! You must be exhausted. Both physically and emotionally. I am sorry to hear that your mom is having a rough time. I hope she is being taken care of and that her wishes are being honored. And if it comes to it, that you get the time you need with her.

Mary