9:53 a.m. - 2004-11-23
Mom is fine
So this is how the whole thing unfolded: The kidney-related tests my mother had on Sunday were negative - couldn't find a stone, no infection, and thankfully no cancer. But that meant that something else was not right, so the doctor scheduled a bladder-related test. I did what any computer literate person would do - I looked for diagnosis on the Internet. I worked on an ambulance crew when I was in high school; I worked at teaching hospitals (but not as a health-care professional) for more than a decade, and I watched ER and SCRUBS for awhile, so I am a medical expert. What I was finding was not good, and even the doctor said he expected to find the worst, but everything was fine. Bladder tests came back fine. My guess? My mother passed a small kidney stone BEFORE she got to the hospital.
I am not sure how I got through yesterday in a sane way, but I did. I am so relieved that everything is okay, but now my mother is crying on the phone because she isn't coming up and won't see us until Christmas. so what did I do? I gave her a dose of the medicine I don't take myself - I told her that when she felt sad she wasn't here, that she should focus on the fact that she doesn't have kidney or bladder cancer, and that we would see her in three weeks.
I am sorry they aren't coming, and I was looking forward to the frenzy of it, but I am relieved a little too. I probably would have picked a fight since my mother would have done her best to spend as much time at my brother's house and I would have felt resentful ferrying them back and forth. So this is how it looks like the holiday will shake out:
Thursday, Andy and I will get up and make cinnamon rolls (his favorite) and watch the Macy's Parade. Then we'll go to my brother's for Thanksgiving and spend the day with him. (We're in charge of beverages and pre-dinner food, so I'm bringing my home-made salsa, veggies, dip, cheese and crackers; and cider and egg nog.)
Friday I will rise at the crack of dawn and hit the early sales by myself. Saturday, we sell wreaths from 9-10 a.m. for the cub scouts; I'll hit the outlets maybe, and my other brother, his girlfriend and her family; and maybe my local brother and his family will convene at our house for wrapping and chili. Sunday, Andy and I will make our Christmas craft (candles and scrapbooks) we'll go to the tree lighting on the town common and the neighbors will come over for dinner. Monday I've given myself a day off to finish wrapping, and start mailing the packages. I'm debating whether to look for a small turkey because otherwise, we'll have no leftovers, and that is one of my favorite parts.
Dave, Andy and I put up our little snow village the other night, so we've been looking at it and making up stories of everyone who lives there. It is very cool. This year we didn't put everything we have up, but put up lots of kids playing. I like it this way. Oh yah, and we're cat sitting until Sunday.
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