Hatrack River Forum: Yet Another Tale of Familial Woe

This is topic Yet Another Tale of Familial Woe in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.

To visit this topic, use this URL:
http://www.hatrack.com/ubb/main/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=025999

Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :

"It never rains but what it pours," or so I've heard it said.

My mother is in the hospital, in critical condition. Not as bad as it sounds, really. She had an intestinal blockage removed (along with a couple feet of small intestine) but is still in ICU because of all her other medical conditions (she's a kidney transplant recipient and, partly because of complications arising from treatment, she also has a colostomy).

My sister lives one town over from the larger town where the hospital is (15 min. tops) and my brother is in the midst of moving his whole household from Colorado Springs to Greensboro, while simultaneously holding down both his jobs as chief engineer over several PBS stations in each state. I don't know how he has kept his sanity making that drive so many times. ANYWAY...

I couldn't get my papa on the phone because he was at the hospital, and doesn't have a cell phone. The ICU does not have a phone that we can call, either-- just the front desk, which can tell us where she is and that she's listed in 'critical condition.' *bangs head*

Papa had two digits of sister's cell phone wrong, so he didnt get hold of her until after the surgery (when he cauggt her at home-- her home and cell phone are both NOT long distance from the hospital, so it's standard proceedure for him to call her, her to call me and then me to email my brother. I know it's unneccessarily complicated, but I lost his cell number and he's never at either home or office.)

I get a message from sister that mom is in ICU after surgery (I had already known that they were trying to dislodge the blockage without surgery-- she'd been in the hospital a few days, and I had been calling her everyday in her room, which had a phone.)I call her back the next day (as soon as I got the freakin' message *grumble* cell phone*grumble* And she still hadn't heard anything new, or even called the hospital. ("Evertime I start to call, the phone rings and the girls tie up he phone." Which is fine, except that she has a cell phone, too, which she uses more often than her home phone, anyway.)

Plus, she actually had to Drive right past the hospital on the way to help her, um, friend out at his roller rink (She does some bookkeeping and sometimes runs things when he's short handed). I caught her on the way to or from, and suggested that she might just try stopping by? But she has a sore throat and doesn't want to expose mom. Fine, but she can see papa in the ICU waiting room, surely. She doesn't.

In frustration, I email my brother again. He has taken a side trip in one of his cross-country treks to visit mom, staying in a hotel in town for a few days before he HAS to get back to his obligations in Colorado. He managed to give me a bit more info, and let me know that she may be out of ICU as early as tonight or tomorrow.

Now, I can either pack up the boys and go up there, probably dumping them with my sister and/or nieces in the House of FIFTEEN CATS (and One Dog) while I go see mom (they don't allow the kiddies in to see people in her condition-- too much risk of infection). I frankly shudder at the thought of my kids walking around with their shoes off in that house. *wince*

Or Ron could try to work from home while I go up for a few days (difficult but potentially do-able).

My poor bro is doing the best he can under the circumstances, but I think my sister is either in serious denial or too caught up in her own dramas to recognize what's going on. She blithely said that "Papa can call the girls if he needs anything." Papa is not the sort to ask for anything. He's a very self-reliant, stoic country boy. Besides, the point of being there is being there, and I'm beside myself with wanting to go be with them (and, yeah, pissed and frustrated that my sister is more concerned with an upcoming outing with her Trek Club than, you know, this other stuff) *pulls hair*

I love my sister, but I'm almost glad I'm not where she is right now. I'd be overwhelmed by the desire to performe a rectal craniectomy without anesthesia.

[Mad]

Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :

(((((Olivia)))))) Oh my goodness. I'm so sorry. I don't think there's anything you can do to help with your sister. And this must be so much harder because on top of being frustrating, your mom's in critical condition. *hugs*

Posted by TMedina (Member # 6649) on :

Ouch, that just bites.

You might consider renting a hotel room, although I don't know if your kids are old enough to stay alone by themselves. Or if they're old enough for you to be comfortable with leaving them alone.

Other than that, you're not going to change your sister's attitude, so for sake of your hair, go up there and satisfy the frustrations yourself.

-Trevor

Posted by Tammy (Member # 4119) on :

(((((Olivia))))))

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

[Frown]

Posted by Olivetta (Member # 6456) on :

Am now sick to my stomach, too. Dang.

CT-sent email.

Posted by Shan (Member # 4550) on :

If I were any closer, I'd watch the kids for you. Nathan would love the company. Hang in there -

Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :

Yeah, I'd torture 'em for you. [Wink]

Dang. Still can't believe you're sick, too. [Frown]

Posted by rivka (Member # 4859) on :

[Frown]

(((((Olivia&family)))))