Family Matters

My dad isn't doing too well.  His back is getting better but he has serious bouts of nausia which have made him not want to eat.  He's lost around 15 pounds since he left here on Jan. 1st.  This week, he was diagnosed with a lung infection and is on medication for that.  On top of all of it, he has been very depressed.  I guess I'd be depressed, too, if I felt awful for so long.  His depression, though, is the kind that causes physical problems to worsen.  His doctor wants to put him on a new anti-depressant but my mom thinks it has too many side effects.  She is going to ask the Dr. if he will just increase his Lexapro because he has done well on that until recently.  Anyway, prayers and good thoughts would be appreciated.  I think my sister is going to go spend some time there and evaluate the situation.  We have felt that my parents haven't been as aggressive as they might have been in getting Dad seen about the lung problem.  They tend to hang back until there isn't any other choice but to go to the doctor and at their age, it could be too late.  Scary for us here.

Dennis is going skiing this weekend with his friend, Tom, a retired fire fighter and former neighbor of ours.  They are going with a group on a chartered bus which is leaving from Tom's house tomorrow evening.  The group of 30 or so will arrive at Mammoth Ski Resort around 11:00 Friday night and return to Riverside on Sunday evening.  They are staying in a group of condos that have been rented for the occasion.  Dennis is looking forward to this with a lot of enthusiasm.  He has been skiing since he was about 10 years old and is an excellent skier.  Since I don't ski, he has found friends who share his interest to go with.  When Bryan was younger and living at home, they would go together.  It was always so much fun for me to listen to them talk about their competitions over who was faster, more adventurous, etc.

I'm delighted that he is going on this trip.  He works too hard and does not take enough time for himself.  He needs this break and he will come home feeling recharged and with a better attitude.  I know he will say, "I don't know why I don't do this more often."

I always encourage him to take time for himself.  He works hard and gives everything he has to make his clients happy.  His work isn't physically difficult but it is mentally challenging to the extreme.  Can you imagine having to make sure you remember to draw where every nail, light switch, and 2 x 4 goes in a building?  The details he has to remember are amazing to me.  When I look at a set of finished plans I wonder how he ever learned all that stuff.  Just the energy codes these days are enough to make your head swivel around on your shoulders.  LOL

While he is gone, I have the house to myself.  Oh, goodie.  I can rent some chick flicks, eat dinner at 8:30 at night or not eat dinner at all, and I can shop until I drop without worrying about getting home at any certain time.  I really like that.

Saturday morning, I'm going to stay with Andrew while Bryan takes Nate and Megan to their softball practices.  Shannon's friend, Lisa is picking her up and taking her out for a pampering session.  On my way home from there, I am going to do some clothes shopping.  Saturday night, I'm going to watch a chick flick in the dark in my jammies on the big screen. 

Sunday, I'm going to see some friends who are visiting from Colorado for a few hours and then I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the rest of the day but I am going to enjoy it. 

Ta-ta for now.