Stress? What stress?
Soooo, life has gotten pretty interesting lately.
Last week I ended up making a flying trip down to Odessa because I found out my grandmother had made her own flying trip to the emergency room with stomach problems – the same problem she’s supposed to be having a surgery to correct near the end of this month.
That news made my own stomach do a little flop, so I got a last-minute flight home, set up a rental car for my arrival, and when I hit town I found a friend to stay with while I was in town. Now, the problem got resolved rather quickly thanks to the efforts of the hospital and all has turned out as well as can be given that a surgery is the solution and that surgery could not be done in Odessa.
It was pretty scary for the first day I was in town, though. The doctors had to “install” (as I like to put it) an NG (or nasogastric) tube to decompress my grandmother’s stomach – a pretty unpleasant thing for all sides since what an NG tube does is pump out a patients stomach, which means they can’t have any solid foods. That’s an obstacle for anyone who needs, for example, pain medications or who has diabetes. Since my grandmother needed both pain medications and regulation for her blood sugar the NG tube was a small medical challenge. They settled the first day for giving her morphine for her pain, but that was scarier for ME since it made her really sleep and out of it. No matter how many times you’ve seen hospital rooms and the whole rigmarole that accompanies a stay in a hospital, it’s frightening to see someone look that out of it and helpless. Which meant I spent a lot of my time parked in the chair next to the hospital bed. (Also consider, who wants to be totally alone in a hospital??)
By the fifth she was ready to go home, and that day I caught my fight to come back to my own home.
However, my flight wasn’t quick enough to keep me from getting into a sticky situation with my dad. My relationship with each of my parents is awkward and strained at best, but with my dad things have been getting infuriating (on my side) because – thanks to a combination of many things – he has never really matured emotionally beyond the age of about 15. Now, that sounds harsh to say, but I swear it’s not something I’m saying out of anger – it’s just how it is and to be honest I can’t really blame him for being the way he is because I can in some ways understand it all.
It does make my life a little more complicated when I go back home. After all, I’m there for someone in the hospital, but I also have to worry about how my trip is going to affect the relationships I have with my mom and dad – and unfortunately it’s complicated enough that I DO have to worry about that instead of knowing they’ll understand that I’m in town with a job to do and not to spend time with my buddies, my parents, or to pay social calls. So here I am: gripe, gripe, gripe.
So, I’m back home now and worrying about mundane things like work, money, financial aid (aka money), school starting next week, the prospect of working and taking 15 hours worth of classes for this semester, and oh yeah – I’m taking Statistics. I managed an A in Algebra last semester by really woodshedding it, but mathematics in any shape or form is slightly terrifying to me. That means I’m already worked up about it.
I’m not a complete basket case, and thanks to my temp agency I have work lined up for two days this week and one day next week. So that has worked out really well. I have to say, I’m relieved and inordinately grateful to the staffing agency I’m working for now. The people that work there are bright, helpful, well-meaning and so genuinely cheerful that it rubs off on me; all things which should not be undervalued from anyone at work or anywhere else.
Oh…and I need to see if my bridesmaid(s?) dress is FINALLY ready for me to pick up and get hemmed…because I know my friend’s wedding isn’t until October, but I’d like to have things squared away as soon as I possibly can for that. It’s important to me because that is one of the biggest events in her life and I take it seriously to see that I do my small part to make it go well. So…me and this dress shop are about to get serious. o.o
Time for an abrupt change. I feel like I’m really ranting and blowing off steam, so sorry if I got you down by making you read this and thanks if you’ve actually read this far.
Don’t worry about me; I’ll stabilize pretty quickly once I start getting things done. I just hope my small audience of readers is doing well and not going through anything even half as stressful as my last week was. 
And hey, I may be all freaked out, but I’d be happy to listen if you’re stressed too!
Grandmother in hospital? check! That is a scary experience… mine’s still in
Went in Monday night, was operated yesterday to remove a tumor in her lung. From what they’ve told us all went well, she should be out of Intensive Care tomorrow and we can go see her. SIgh! People are so fragile it’s scary! 
I hope you manage to exorcise all that stress and start off the school year with good vibes! hugs!
It is scary to have people in the hospital! I hope you get to see her soon, though I have to admit I’ve always been glad when they’re cautious and put someone into intensive care after a surgery since the ICU nurses look after patients much more closely.
And thanks for the hugs! I hope your grandmother recovers quickly!
Hey! This is the first I knew of Lovey being in the hospital; glad to know she is somewhat OK and that you have “survived” (I’ve been where you’re at and it is definitely a stresser!). You could’ve called us and you could’ve stayed here and had some support, you know. I’m not going to chew you out about it, next time let us know and we WILL be there! Sorry Lee had to be “helpful”, the last thing you need is that. Anyway….enough ranting from me, we are all OK. Robert’s 12th birthday was yesterday, and we took him to see the Steve Miller Band in concert. They had an auction for the Education Foundation, which raises monies for music programs in schools. They auctioned off 2 guitars signed by Steve Miller; Robert was virtually salivating and couldn’t quite understand why we couldn’t bid $40,000+ for an autographed guitar. He really enjoyed getting to see so many different styles of guitars; when they brought out one of the 6- and 12-string combined guitars he really tripped out! It was a good concert, all in all. Will be interesting to see who they get to come play next year. I am still trying to get a classroom together with no supplies in yet, missing/broken items, etc. I got so mad Monday that I haven’t been back since–and inservice starts tomorrow. Anyway….that’s the news here. Keep us informed on Lovey, OK? Liz and the Boyz
Apparently my grandmother is doing quite well, better than expected, thx! She was let out of the ICU a day early, and says her lumbago is bothering her more than her chest! :p I hope to make it up there (she’s in Valencia) in a couple of days, my parents are there now (as a government employee my mom can take a week off for a family-related medical situation).
I hope your Grandmother is feelling better too!
cheers!
PS: you got your Marys mixed up when you read my post! Mary Stuart isn’t buried with Elisabeth, it’s Mary Tudor… her older sister! ;o)
@ Cristina: Figures that I’d mix people up. Thanks for straightening me out! History was never my favorite subject – at least not the way it was taught to me – and lately I’ve been trying to buff up since I’ve changed my major and have ended up studying a lot of British Lit, which needs context!
Glad to hear about your grandma; hope you get to see her!
@ Aunt Liz: Sorry I didn’t tell you! I thought Lovey called you guys, too, since I knew she called Aunt Shirley from the hospital. And thanks for the belated offer; I just ended up staying with the friend who lived closest to the hospital. I’m sure they were freaked out by how little I was actually there.
I should have known Lovey didn’t call – she kept trying to play it down. Actually, Dad had to browbeat her into going to the ER in the first place and she kept saying it wasn’t a big deal even when she was in the hospital.
I hope you get your classroom straightened out! I can imagine how frustrating it is to try and get things together when you don’t have what you need, or have what you need, but broken.
Also…Robert can’t be twelve! I remember him in diapers – it just isn’t possible! Tell him I said happy late birthday if you could. I understand his guitar obsession. I still have an acoustic I picked up on a short trip Lovey, Papa, and I took into Mexico when I was about Robert’s age. (I play it really badly, but I still love it!)