Ok first off, sorry for the delay. It's been a roller coaster lately. Allison's mom had knee replacement surgery (way messier than last years with floating bone chips and what not), plus pnuemonia complications, but mom is doing a heck of a lot better. I do have to say I love my in-laws. The could have pitched a fit but instead they welcomed me into their home and their family. I am very lucky.
Then we found out my mom has lukemia, CLL to be exact. If you don't know about CLL it is the most common type of lukemia, striking those generally at age 70 and above. If you are early stage and can be controlled by medication you have 20 plus years (as an average if you belive the med pages), if you are not so lucky 3 to 5. Mom is understandably freaked out. The family is waiting for stage testing to find out where mom is and what we have to do to circle the wagons.
My brother and his wife visited during the same time period as all this. In fact the same week. Mike and the brood (my nephews Vincent and Evan are just too damned cute and way smarter than me - which I will address in the future and Crystal my sis in law) entered my house and a very good time was had. My brother even gave Allison a hug. You have to understand that I'm not sure my brother has ever approved of any of my partners. I'm not sure my brother is okay with me being gay. Most of the time Mike and I can't talk without a fight. So this was HUGE. In my family a hug means you ARE family.
My mom hugs Allison, gives her the sign of the cross (understood if you are Catholic) and calls her mija (daughter in Spanish) and tells us both to go to church and say our prayers. In our family that means Allison is accepted.
Allison and I talked about it and decided within maybe ten minutes that if mom needs to come to Dallas, then most likely she would live with us. Actually the conversation went like this:
Me: Mom has lukemia.
Allison: (no words, just a long hug)
Me: (I told her what mom told me over the phone)
Allison: What's the next step?
Me: Stage testing. Mike says he might be able to get a transfer here. He doesn't know. You know we might have to have mom live with us.
Allison: We'll make it work.
The conversation maybe took two minutes the rest was her hugging me and not letting me freak out. I'm the type that has to let it sink in, then we march forward.
Between all this I did a five day with two days off, a six with one day off and a seven day with one day off at work, plus writing 4,700 words on a new writing project. I am quite honestly brain fried. I do have to say that my boss has been very good in the last two weeks about understanding when I zone out, or am just really really tired.
I say for the record that I am a lucky woman in all respects. I have Allison who loves me and supports me despite all my faults and failings, who laughs even when I wasn't trying to be funny, I have a job that I mostly love and a family that drive me nuts but who I also adore.
One of the most interesting things is all my facebook friends who have sent my mother and my family thoughts and prayers. My mom cried (good tears this time) when I told her how many people were pulling for her. She cried harder when I told her how many of my 981st brothers and sisters sent her love and prayers. I'd read off a name and sometimes would say. "Didn't you put his/her name in one of your letters (it was 85 to 88 folks) home?" This cracks me up...my mom can't sometimes recall our last conversation but she knows who my army buddies were.
So there you have it.
Then we found out my mom has lukemia, CLL to be exact. If you don't know about CLL it is the most common type of lukemia, striking those generally at age 70 and above. If you are early stage and can be controlled by medication you have 20 plus years (as an average if you belive the med pages), if you are not so lucky 3 to 5. Mom is understandably freaked out. The family is waiting for stage testing to find out where mom is and what we have to do to circle the wagons.
My brother and his wife visited during the same time period as all this. In fact the same week. Mike and the brood (my nephews Vincent and Evan are just too damned cute and way smarter than me - which I will address in the future and Crystal my sis in law) entered my house and a very good time was had. My brother even gave Allison a hug. You have to understand that I'm not sure my brother has ever approved of any of my partners. I'm not sure my brother is okay with me being gay. Most of the time Mike and I can't talk without a fight. So this was HUGE. In my family a hug means you ARE family.
My mom hugs Allison, gives her the sign of the cross (understood if you are Catholic) and calls her mija (daughter in Spanish) and tells us both to go to church and say our prayers. In our family that means Allison is accepted.
Allison and I talked about it and decided within maybe ten minutes that if mom needs to come to Dallas, then most likely she would live with us. Actually the conversation went like this:
Me: Mom has lukemia.
Allison: (no words, just a long hug)
Me: (I told her what mom told me over the phone)
Allison: What's the next step?
Me: Stage testing. Mike says he might be able to get a transfer here. He doesn't know. You know we might have to have mom live with us.
Allison: We'll make it work.
The conversation maybe took two minutes the rest was her hugging me and not letting me freak out. I'm the type that has to let it sink in, then we march forward.
Between all this I did a five day with two days off, a six with one day off and a seven day with one day off at work, plus writing 4,700 words on a new writing project. I am quite honestly brain fried. I do have to say that my boss has been very good in the last two weeks about understanding when I zone out, or am just really really tired.
I say for the record that I am a lucky woman in all respects. I have Allison who loves me and supports me despite all my faults and failings, who laughs even when I wasn't trying to be funny, I have a job that I mostly love and a family that drive me nuts but who I also adore.
One of the most interesting things is all my facebook friends who have sent my mother and my family thoughts and prayers. My mom cried (good tears this time) when I told her how many people were pulling for her. She cried harder when I told her how many of my 981st brothers and sisters sent her love and prayers. I'd read off a name and sometimes would say. "Didn't you put his/her name in one of your letters (it was 85 to 88 folks) home?" This cracks me up...my mom can't sometimes recall our last conversation but she knows who my army buddies were.
So there you have it.
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