Weekend Update

Pop stayed in the hospital for 4 days, which wasn't purely necessary, but was engineered, by the doctors and social worker, to qualify him to be transferred from the hospital to a cardiac rehab facility.
There, he will have two weeks to adapt to his new heart medication, and to be trained on using a walker.

That was FAR preferential to sending him directly home, where he does NOT have full time care, and, most importantly, allow for time for the family to decide what to do next.

The brothers have talked at length, and after Dave was accused, and then exonerated, of trying to "get rid of dad," the serious discussion of where Pop should go next was finally engaged.

The full exoneration came about when reports of Pop's behavior at the rehab center started to come in.

Other than his usual delusions, Pop was physically violent with a nurse, and caused her to fall.

This backs up Dave's experiences with Pop as valid, in the brothers' eyes, at long last.

In the meantime, Pop's care giver has been hired as a dog sitter, and she goes to the house twice a day.  She walks the dog, and plays with him.

Dave has to go today, because she wanted a day off.

That poor dog....he's so lonely.  We are hoping to arrange for him to visit pop eventually, but right now, he can't, and the poor thing spends most of his hours alone.

I've suggested boarding him, but that has not been considered.  I think it would be better for him to be around people and other dogs, but my opinion doesn't count.

In other news, I have been sick all week.

My employer institutes an annual "time off freeze" in January and February, to punish us for being so greedy with taking time off during the holidays.

Even though they strictly limit the amount of time you can take off during the holidays.

Hmmm.... how exactly do we abuse the time off, if you don't let us take what we want? 

Anyway, during the freeze, you are not allowed to take any time off for sick or vacation, and are only allowed to make up a maximum of 2 hours a week if you have a doctor appointment or something.  You ARE also allowed to use FMLA.  You may take off for emergencies, too, but are given the usual "occurrence" mark on your attendance record.

This past week, I had my dentist appointment.

I have to go every 6 months, due to my ongoing cancer treatment (the bone building injections can damage jaw tissue, and the hormone blocker causes drymouth), but since it's not directly related to the cancer, I can't use FMLA.

It's not my fault that the date falls during the time off freeze, but I am required to make up the time.

SO, when did I get sick?  The same week as my dental appointment, when I had to make up an hour and 45 minutes of time off, AND I had FMLA time for my monthly injection, too.

That left me 15 minutes to go home and rest, if I wanted to make that up, too.

As a result, I had to work through having a fever and being miserable.  Unable to stay home and rest,  what might have just been a simple head cold turned into a sinus infection.

(funny side note:  at our monthly team meeting, the big boss talked about colds and flu, and how he preferred that we stay home if we are sick.... he clearly is unaware of the special rules we have to abide by in our department.  Special rules that were never approved by the board, and are not in the employee hand book)

Doc approved an antibiotic for me, and we picked that up on the way home from my injection appointment.

Then, Friday was Dave's 60th birthday, and we had tickets to a show we had been looking forward to for WEEKS.

I went, but I felt like crap, and didn't have much fun.

Yesterday, I was FINALLY able to rest, and BOY, did I!  Dave did all of the errands, and I stayed inside and warm.  I napped and read.  I thought I wouldn't be able to sleep last night, but I was wrong!

Today, my body is achy from being so sedentary.

Funny how that works!

I do feel a lot better now, though.  I'm three days into the antibiotic, and no longer have green goo coming out of my nose.

I'll have another easy day today, mostly.

After the chaos of last weekend, maybe we will get the taxes done today between Dave's trips to take care of the dog.


ADDENDUM:  The brothers have decided to board the dog!  Hallelujah!