Hi guys

Thanks for all your prayers. Keep them coming because nothing has changed, except my frustration level is getting pretty high. Tomorrow I'm going to try to get Mom to a doctor to try to get the stomach issues under control.

Friday night I had the priviledge of driving to Venus. How is that possible you ask? Well Venus is a little don't- blink- or- you'll- miss -it town. The kind where the elementary, middle school and high school are all within a stone's throw of each other. And that includes the football stadium and baseball field. The people I was driving with gave these directions, "Get off the freeway at McDonalds and go for awhile then turn right at Whataburger."

The game was pretty uninspiring until the second half. We finally won one with a score of 49-7. Our principal asked me to take a picture of the scoreboard so we could give it to the new head coach as a trophy of his first win. Something told me to take it quick or they'd turn the scoreboard off. Sure enough. I had the camera trained on the board as it counted down the last seconds. I snapped the picture and turned around to my friends, and they told me the score was wiped out.

On the way home, we had to stop at said Whataburger because one of the ladies riding with me is pregnant. Potty stop! The rest of the way home we discussed old TV shows we used to watch: The Virginian, The Rifleman, Big Valley, Dukes of Hazard, Hardy Boys, A-Team, Perry Mason, Matlock, Partridge Family, Battlestar Galactica, Knight Rider. The consensus was that we wished that some station would play reruns of Magnum, P.I. If you didn't notice, most of these shows had cute guys in them. This conversation started when I told them about the Capt. Jack Sparrow and Will Turner posters I bought my girls. Teenage girls never change.

Next week the high school has a by week, but the band has their pre-UIL marching competition on Saturday. Pray. We need it. Plus report cards come out on Thursday. No pass. No play. I told them they better keep those alternates.

Might be awhile

My blogging time may be cut even shorter. If Mom's blood labs come back normal this morning my brother will bring her to my house. I need to figure out how to be a drill sergeant because I want to help her get stronger and eat better. There is no excuse for her to be malnourished except she won't take the time to fix herself something healthy to eat. Pray for us because this will probably get ugly. It's really up to what Mom is willing to do.

This is also Mayhem #1's senior homecoming week. She'll be on the band float for the parade. Last year she got to be on it even though she was a junior, but the trailer was so small she almost got bounced off the end right in front of a fire truck. Every day this week they get to dress up weird. Like pj day, nerd day, twin day, etc. I'll probably have to help her figure that out, although she may not wear her pj's because she says she'll fall asleep.

Next Monday Mayhem #2 tries out for a part for the school play which is "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." She wasn't impressed with the play adaptation of the book, but she still wants a part. She's going to be on one of the middle school floats in the homecoming parade this week.

Give me strength. I can't keep up.

Here and gone again

Well, I'm home for the moment, but on the road again tomorrow to check on Mom. She's still in the hospital and they're running a bunch of tests today. They can't seem to figure out why she still has a fever, where or what the blood infection is or why she is still nauseous when she gets up.

It's taken two days but the laundry is about finished. By Thursday of last week, Mr. Mayhem said that if I didn't come home soon I'd have to spend some time on the phone with him walking him through the laundry routine. Mayhem #2 was extremely clingy when I got home Sunday afternoon. Every time I turned around she was two inches from me. Then again so was Mr. Mayhem. Mayhem #1 had to tell me how hard it was to take care of getting her sister where she needed to be and get herself to school and work. I told her to think of this as practice for next year at college. I think they all realized how much I do for them. Mostly I get tired of thinking for them.

My brother couldn't figure out why I sounded so tired when I called and updated him every night on Mom's condition. Let's see...I got up at 4:30 to be at the hospital early so I wouldn't miss the doctor. I talked with the doctor, even if I had to follow him down the hall. I helped Mom with eating and whatever and I usually didn't get lunch before 3:00. I'd be back at the hospital by 5:00 to help her with dinner, and I would leave between 8:30 and 8:45 to go find some dinner. I usually got to bed a little after 10:00. Repeat for several days. After my brother spent Sunday with her by himself he was pretty exhausted.

I have to commend the nurses. They are fabulous. The doctors on the other hand leave much to be desired. I still can't get over how many people insinuated that Mom's fall was my fault because she lives alone...the doctors, the case manager, the social worker, etc. They see her as an invalid. Four weeks ago she drove herself 250 miles to my house for my niece's wedding. Last week she drove herself to the doctor. With my mother, hard headed is an understatement.

Thank you for your prayers. I think the whole family needs them.