Halloween snippets

Family visits
H's dad and youngest sister (G) came for a visit; they live in a far away part of the US.

The occasion was a wonderful soiree for the middle sister's 50th B-day.

G hasn't seen H for over two years now. Before she came up, H told her that he "is not sure he can keep doing this." And when she saw him, she was shocked at how thin and frail he was compared to two years ago, the last time she saw him.

G is wanting to come up to see H again before the end of the calendar year. And I am glad for that because there is no way that H can make the trip down to see her.

My dance card is full, thank you tho'
On a related topic, H has to have his gallbladder removed and they also found an irregular heart beat when they did an endoscopy.

So, off to a cardiologist for a pre-surgery screening (never heard of this before).

I'm terrified that H won't wake up from the surgery and I told him so. He said, "I know, (asm), but it won't be bad for me, I'll be asleep. Know that I love you."

Present is as present does
I strive to be fully present when I'm with H (well, just in general). As a result, I find that I say things I don't expect, such as, "I'm tired of working all the time...at work, at home...I have to do everything now...it's just not fair."

H responds, "I'm sorry..."

"Me too, but I know that you would change it if you could and I would too. But it is what it is, so let's make the best of the time we have."

"Is it OK if I take a nap?" H asks.

"Of course, honey."

This wonderful feeling

In spite of it all, H and I are better together these days.

Maybe it's that the medical stuff is so routine now...even with new issues... or we've reached some type of détente in our expectations for one another. Or maybe we're both getting closer to acceptance. But on occasion and more regularly, that gentle fondness is there in the forefront and we talk, laugh, and playfully joke with bad puns...just like before.

Oh, and I finally told H just how lonely I am given that he sleeps so much and that I'm tired of being in our house alone...I just have to get out, which disturbed him greatly. I told him that we both wish it was different, but it is what it is.

So, for the past few days, he's been in bed less...up when I get home, sitting in the kitchen while I make dinner...even making some simple joint plans for the weekend…routine stuff that other couples perhaps take for granted, but that we haven't had for so, so long.

While I'm enjoying his company a lot right now, I do find myself being mistrustful that this is just a brief episode that won't last. And a tad pissed off that he's been missing in action for so long (e.g, for much of the past decade). And, for some reason, my grief keeps coming up.

But, all I can do is enjoy it this wonderful feeling while I have it and while I have him.

And, for right now, I am grateful.

First snippets of Fall

Doctor, doctor

As expected, H's health continues to be up and down, but mostly slowly down. Most recently, he's been having stomach pain and is having a much harder time walking than ever before. Some of the walking issue is his dementia and some of it is that he has a somewhat lame leg and hand due to a stroke about 15 years ago. H said to me last night, "I'm so mad at how frail I've gotten. I worry that I'll never recover...."

H and I joke about his dance card being full (on both sides) and now we are talking about stapling another dance card on so that we can add a potential gall bladder issue as well as the need for ongoing PT, not to mention more trouble holding things due to shaking, new pain now in his scalp from neuropathy, etc. And he's not eating very much and is down to 140 lbs again.

So, a series of Dr. visits this week...everyday this week, a new doctor, an old doctor, a referral, etc. And then next week, Dr. appts for him 3 of the 5 days. Hard to find the time to work.

Now, we haven't had a spate of Dr. appts like this in a long time (thankfully), but even tho' I am more than completely capable of dealing with it all, it bores the hell out of me. And while I am sympathetic and want to help, I just wonder when this will all stop...for H's sake as well as mine.

A death in the family

Our young Siamese cat finally died; he should have lived for 20+ years as Siamese are a very long-lived breed. Last Tuesday, I found him stretched out on the kitchen floor in a pool of his own (well, you know) at about 6am. And he had been coughing up blood overnight. We knew that he was close, but like most folks, we were looking for the right time...not too soon, not too late...you know. I feel really bad that we didn't put him down before he got to this point.

I went to comfort him...not knowing if he was dead or not...and gently petted his head and called his name. He cried and cried and cried and cried...wailing really...and his face was sunken in (dramatic since the night before) and his eyes hollow and red. It was like knives into my heart...my poor boy...he is only 7 years old. He was one of my favorite kitties of all time. He cried for hours until we got him to the vet when they opened at 9. I can still hear his crying in my head a week later.

So we go to the vet, H and I, to put our friend down. Now, I am a complete sobbing mess...can't even talk to the vet. H to his credit was very calm and just spent time telling the cat how much we loved him until the end. H hardly shed a tear. But I blubbered all the way there and back and the whole time we were at the vet. Last cat we lost, I shed a tear or two, but sheesh, nothing like this.

I think finding the cat in the state I did triggered a lot of my grief around finding H in in similar states (many times) over the years. If I had found the cat dead, maybe it wouldn't have been so bad. But seeing someone you love so sick they can't raise their head, looking so different from just the night before, and crying and crying and crying...very hard.

I am so glad that my kitty is relieved of his pain and suffering; I am glad that we were able to do that for him.