A Visit from Tammy

My sister and her fiance came to visit for a few days, which was great timing for a couple reasons.  For one thing, my dad's mental state seems to be really declining these days, so this might be her last chance for a really interactive visit.  As it was, he didn't really know who she was, but would believe her when she told him he was her daughter.  Then they would leave to go to the store, and  my dad would say something about "my friends who were just here".  :(

It was also good to get all 3 of us kids together who are in the trust and talk about his upcoming health issues and other things.  Dad was not very participatory in the conversation, but I think it was still a good thing to all sit down together and at least try.  

I have a few photos from the visit, but I can't access my dropbox right now.  Hopefully I will remember to come back and add them.

This Sucks...

I guess this will be one of those Keeping It Real posts.  I have an old friend in the area who I have been talking to online a bit.  He offered to come over and keep me company now and then, but it turned out to be very agitating for my dad.  :(  He walks through the room every few minutes and scowls at me or motions me aside to ask me who he is.  Even though I tell him it is an old friend, he keeps saying, "Where's your husband?"  or "You aren't with your husband anymore?"  No amount of explaining seems to decrease his anxiety and scowling.  I know he is from a more "old fashioned" generation, but this has been really surprising.  He has stayed friends with many of my moms female friends after she passed and doesn't seem to think it is weird to see them on a friendly basis.  Double standard I guess.  I could just not care I guess, but it bothers me to see him like that and doesn't make for a very relaxing visit to have him making faces at me every few minutes.    Just...  argh.  That is all I guess.  Sometimes a post can just be a vent.  I don't have to come up with a magickal reframing for everything.  Some things just suck.

Really Not Great Health Update

For years my dad said he was afraid to quit smoking because it is what his body is used to.  Now, when he finally has quit, and after a 4 week course of rituxan, his scan not only showed no change in the lymphoma, but a lung tumor has popped up as well.  :(  The oncologist says based on the way it looks in the scan, it is likely to be malignant.  Guess another biopsy it in our future.  Double  :(