Damn, yeah, that is way awesomer than any hospital I've been to lately!

I didn't go up at lunchtime. Poor guy did have a heart attack. One artery 100% blocked. Gets another stent in a couple weeks. His wife reports he is in pain and miserable and scowls at the notion of visitors, which completely understandable. Last guy you would figure. He races BMX bikes in his spare time and bikes daily on regular bike. The kids are visiting after work, because his daughter gets to visit no matter what he says. I'm taking birthday girl out to dinner while the kids visit. There is a very nice steakhouse and craft beer place nearby, and she loves her fancy beers. She said she is totally up for me being designated driver. Had to make a reservation for 2 because this time of year it is absurd to try and just show up at a restaurant. I don't do 2 hour waits.

Goodness, that's a lot of stuff.

I meant to say earlier, it's nice when someone takes your dietary needs into account, so yay for the vegan cupcake! I hope things get better, Hil.

Thanks, it was the trauma

Man, it's just...yeah.

I'm really sorry about Eldest son's issues, Laura. It's so painful when you can't fix things for them or just pick them up and shake them and make them do what you know is best. I hesitate to even mention it, but is it possible to do an involuntary hospital visit for him? Maybe get him on some meds that help him sleep and think straight? I would imagine he'll be very sorry about the damage to the relationship with his nephew later, when he's thinking again.

If it's any consolation, when I was a teenager, I threw my brother across the room and bounced him off a wall. I was horrified by my behavior (he pushed all my buttons, and we won't talk about a teen being forced to do unending childcare and make sure that the children are fed nutritionally balanced meals, homework done, bathed, and in bed on time, along with the housework and her own homework every damn day), so.... I was horrified. I talked to him about it about 10 years ago, and he laughed and said he didn't remember it, but "go you for not putting up with my shit!" So, yeah, maybe the nephew won't even remember after a few years? It's a nice hope. I'm still kind of horrified by my behaviour back then.

I have to say, having a good therapist makes a huge difference. With the ones before this one I felt, for whatever reason, defensive and angry.

We're going to a Christmas pageant this evening with live camels, llamas, and sheep. My dad's been helping with sets and things, and says to go tonight, the first night, in case it doesn't go well and they have to limit the number of animals on subsequent nights. I am a little intrigued and yet confused... is there a safety issue? Live animals! Aimee needs me to see a camel up close!

I woke up yesterday with a lot of grey spots in my vision in my right eye. In the finest denial, I went to work, hoping it would go away. It didn't, and at the doctor today I was told a blood clot had jammed itself into one of the blood vessels in my retina. Essentially, a stroke in my eye. The odds of getting that vision back is low. Naturally the main loss is right across the middle. It'll be interesting to see how my brain learns to cope with this.

I've got a new manager at work, I can't wait to apologize for having to use unexcused absences for going partially blind. Really. When someone tells you they have to go to the eye doctor on short notice, that's not the time to trot out "You know, that's an unexcused absence," like it's something optional.

Oh dear, Connie! How frightening. The brain is amazing and I hope it compensates quickly. Remember next time to schedule these things so you won't get busted for the unexcused absence!

B was in much better humor and accepting visitors so I brought him flowers and stole his wife off for dinner. She loves her craft beers and he doesn't drink so he always says he is driving his wife to drink. So I told him I was taking his place driving his wife to drink tonight. Of course poor thing had about 4 hours sleep in the last couple days so one beer was her limit. Most amusing part was the valet at the restaurant getting super excited to drive my car. I had to show him how to operate it. Also, eeep, a stranger drove my new car! I told the kid he should be paying me instead of the other way around.

Thanks, Deena. He has had a couple hospitalizations when he was in drug induced delusional states. He is perfectly normal after a few hours, then they throw him out. I think he has at least learned that hallucinogens don't work out well for him because that hasn't happened in a while. He's a work in progress.

Matthew has rescued a kitten that was part of a litter of 3 hanging around his workplace. Other people took the 2 kittens and Matthew has Scrappy, his or her name in progress.

Scrappy is all black and has soft thick fur. They had been wedged where I could see them but now had moved out of sight. I'm hanging out with food scattered about hoping Scrappy will come out.

I put the cat carrier in here with a towel in it so there would be a soft warm hdijg spot. The spare room is pretty bare. Rigjt now Scrappy is wedged between a mattress leaning against the wall and an old vacuum cleaner.

I'm not sure how old Scrappy is but maybe 3 months.

Connie that is scary about your eye. I hope that you have some improvement or your brain figures a way to compensate quickly.

I think that kitty has a truly EXCELLENT name.

It is a good name.

Connie, unexcused absence...like you're a teenager? Do you need a note from mom? That's really ridiculous.

Shit, Connie! That's horrible. I'm sorry.