Dad Update and Mother's Day

Well, Mother's Day didn't turn out quite like planned. Which is an awkward segue into my dad. So that's where I'll start. Dad has been doing better since the last time I did a Dad Update. He's playing cribbage with the boys. He's been doing physical therapy. HE TOOK CARE OF MY MOM WHEN SHE WAS LAID UP AFTER KNEE SURGERY (oops...that would be a Mom Update--she was scoped and scooped, but wasn't really up and around for a few days). A year ago at this time, he was pretty much stuck at home with a vacuum pump sucking all sorts of nasty infection and stuff from his lower abdomen. Really quite gross. That has essentially taken care of itself, though he's still retaining fluids, and the doctors don't know why, or where it's all coming from. So he's had to go in a couple of times to get it sucked out.

The latest time was last Thursday afternoon. How much are we talking about? Two and a quarter GALLONS. I'll let the picture to the left help you with the visual. Two of those milk jugs, plus well on the way to filling the third. Eighteen pounds worth of liquid. 8400 cc's. The doctor was so kind as to describe the fluid's color in beer terms. The first color described as being a stout, then to an amber, and eventually as Coors. They sucked him dry and sent him home. The short story after that--he's leaking from where they stuck the sucky thing in him, and he's also developed a bulge. Spent 4 hours in ER Friday night trying to figure out why, and to be sure it wasn't blood (it wasn't). He showed up for brunch on Sunday morning and noticed he'd started leaking again. So Mom stayed for brunch (they drove separately), but opted out of the golf with her children and grandchildren. So I don't have the pictures of Mom at the golf course like I had hoped to get.

After golf, we all met at S2's house and had a fabulous buffet of take-out Chinese. Dad made it there, and was in good spirits. Still leaking a little bit, but not as badly (He looks fat and jolly like Santa here, but that's the towels that are bandaged to his sides. He's actually nothing but skin and bones!) Tales were told of the golfing adventures of the afternoon, as most of us haven't played in awhile. My nephew (8th grader) consistently outdrove both his dad and I (and we can both hit the ball). He can't putt worth a darn though! N2 and N3 both outplayed their mothers (which isn't much of a surprise). Here's the dog, Mom and N3 (I'll let you figure out who is who). BTW--N3 informed me that this is a "horrible" picture of her. Uh-huh...


And after three years of not touching a golf club, I shot a 90. Mostly because I couldn't putt worth a darn either. Up until about three years ago, I'd play at least twice a week or more, and at my prime, would be upset if I didn't break 80. So after three years, the 90 I shot was quite respectable. But if I decide to play alot this summer (and I should, just for the exercise), I need to reacquaint myself with my putter (and who among us couldn't use that one-on-one time with their putter?). And to bring this around full circle, back to Mother's Day, here's me and Mom. Happy Mother's Day, Mom!