A different day . . .

I quilted this morning - finishing a fun quilt. Then I got ready to go to lunch with my good friends. As I started to walk out the door, I got the call.

Mom was in the hospital in MIssoula so I just headed west rather than to town. I got here in 3 hours. They changed some meds and will do some tests tomorrow. Hopefully they can get the rhythm back to normal. I then went to the nursing home to explain to Dad. His first words were, "Where is your mom?". He did okay in understanding and then at the end of our conversation, I said I would be back in the morning and he said he would be gone in the morning at an appeal hearing. Of course he won't be in an appeal hearing, but I think that was easier for him to say than that he was to worried about Mom.

I am staying in Mom's "senior" apartment tonight here in Missoula - feeling every year of my own "senior-ness". My sister is acting "normal" today after months of being AWOL and she lives here in Missoula. She has not visited either parent, not called unless it was for money, not been able to converse without swearing and raging. I never know who is going to be there when she is on the scene - is it going to be my sister who is intelleigent and caring or is it going to be my sister who is raging, out of control, blaming and swearing. I am glad she was in the normal place today. I hope she can stay there tomorrow as well.

Mom will be in the hospital for a few days. I can handle the normal "aging issues". I can even understand that I often need to "drive the 200 miles over here". I can understand the working with the financial issues, the living arrangement decisions, the moving issues, the tears of aging, and the heartache. I just don't know how to handle the sister part. That is what I need to learn! That is what I need to learn!