Where We Are Now

[catherineldf]

My last week:

• Turned 57 last Monday, with a mellow birthday at home, good snacks, messages and calls from friends.
• Tuesday: got a call from the nursing home that they wanted to put my mother in hospice care (she had contracted the flu but had been doing "fine.")
• Wednesday: get a call in the wee hours of the morning suggesting  I "come visit" my mother NOW. I went over as early as seemed feasible and got thoroughly sprayed down, cleaned and temperature checked. Then I went upstairs to find my mother completely unconscious and hooked up to oxygen. I talked to her nurse, then sat down and read to her for a while from Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini, which was always one of her favorite novels. Then I said my goodbyes and left. About 30 minutes later, I got the call that she had passed on.
• Thursday and Friday were spent dealing with the cremation center (I had already bought a cremation package for her) and the nursing home - fortunately, I had set up most things beforehand and they took care of a lot of the administrative stuff. Family friends took on notifying others so I'm down to writing an obituary and sending it out, writing some cards, picking up Mom's ashes later on in the week and trying to figure out how to scatter them in a way that abides by her wishes (she had ambitious plans for her remains, even under the best of circumstances). And picking up her remaining stuff at the nursing home (I'm donating all the clothes to them). Blergh. Was it expected? Yes. Am I okay? Not sure. Quite numb and spent today with a killer migraine.
• Saturday, I taught my anthology editing class to a small but enthusiastic group.
• Tomorrow, Monday, April 6th - The Voyages of Cinrak the Dapper by A.J. Fitzwater comes out from Queen of Swords Press. You can get it in ebook everywhere, including direct from us; print is available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound and Bookshop.org. It is the author's first book and it is beautiful and cuddly and wonderful. Please buy a copy - it will make you feel better about life. I promise.
• And tomorrow, back to day job. They gave me a few days off to recover, which helped, but don't feel like enough.  Onward. I will xpost Mom's obituary out here when I get it done.

Comments

[sartorias]

I am so very sorry for your loss. But glad you were able to be with her.

[catherineldf]

Thank you!

[sartorias]

PS Ordered the book.

[catherineldf]

And you rock! I hope you enjoy it! :-D

[pameladean]

"Expected" never quite helps in the way one hopes. I'm very sorry.

P.

[catherineldf]

Thank you!

[queenoftheskies]

I'm so sorry for your loss. ::HUGS::

[catherineldf]

Thank you! HUGS back at ya!

[ckd]

May you find comfort.

[catherineldf]

Thank you!

[duskpeterson]

1) I'm so sorry about your mother. I'm glad, though, that you were able to say your goodbyes to her. Many can't, at the moment.

2) Our 57th birthdays are very close together. Happy birthday to you. :)

[catherineldf]

Thank you! It involved lots of decontamination procedures, but I have the sense that she might have been hanging on for it.

Happy birthday to you too! I hope your birthday week is less "interesting" than mine!

[duskpeterson]

I'm snuggled away at home, so I hope so. :)