Dad's out of the hospital. Mom took him in on Friday for an alarming group of symptoms including dizziness, slurred speech, and short-term memory loss; it looks now like those were all caused by high blood sugar (he's diabetic and not particularly careful about it) and possibly a TIA (mini-stroke - he had one of those before when I was in high school). He says he feels better now than he has in 20 years, though from what my brother says I'm not sure I believe that. Still, though I know how serious diabetes can be, his is adult onset and not all that severe and I'm glad it's "only" that and not something new. At least that's something that's nonlethal, if he works harder at controlling it.
Meanwhile, my weekend was relatively calm and productive. I still haven't done anything on my cards, but I got two presents finished and mailed and another started. Also a small party on Friday night, a flying lesson today (ground, not in the airplane), a trip to the Tempe Arts Fest Saturday in which I only got to see maybe a quarter of the booths (it's enormous), 4000m on the erg yesterday, a 75-minute 144000 piece today incorporating a 60 minute personal record, a food shopping trip today, visits to two furniture stores looking for the bed Rudder and I have agreed to give each other for Christmas, calls to my parents each day to check on Dad .... I keep wondering, is this what other people's less frenetic weekends look like?
Posted by dichroic at December 5, 2004 06:53 PMIt was "just diabetes" and "not very good at managing it" that took my friend Gerry last month....
I know what you mean about less frenetic. I'm thinking today was the only unscheduled weekend day til, erm, mid-January, and that was only 'cause the friends we were supposed to be hanging out with never called....
Posted by: Keilyn at December 5, 2004 06:59 PMThe absolute best part of my life is the enormous amount of unscheduled time. I might just be the last beatnik. Took a long time to feel this free and I enjoy every second of it. I liken my life to how Laura Ingalls Wilder described farm life in that the choice of activity is always up to the farmer. Chores must be done, kids and livestock tended, of course, but the when and what of how it all gets done is at the farmer's discretion. Very few people have that much autonomy. You know what else is fun? Discovering that I won't go to pieces without a Palm Pilot. I get everything done without a boss, you know? 10 years ago I was chained to a day planner, convinced it was necessary or I'd sink into sloth and my life would fall apart. Work, meetings, seminars, Alex to haul to karate, the orthodontist, band rehersals...oy. Some of that round and round will start again when Wolf is older, but for the meantime I'm a bum and loving it. It appears I'm also a guestbook novelist. heh ~LA
Posted by: LA at December 6, 2004 12:46 AMOh yeah. Glad to hear your dad is okay. ~LA
Posted by: LA at December 6, 2004 12:47 AMMy dad is bad not to take care of his existing conditions either. I'm glad yours is doing better.
Posted by: golfwidow at December 6, 2004 03:44 AMGlad to hear that you're dad's doing better.
Posted by: Mer at December 6, 2004 06:58 AMHappy to hear that your father is okay. I hope he can get control of the diabetes.
Posted by: Melissa at December 6, 2004 06:31 PMGood grief, woman! I'm so sorry about your dad's ill health. That must have been a real scare. I'm glad he's doing better. Get some rest and take care of yourself. Happy Hanukkah. Big hug. -J
Posted by: Jenn at December 7, 2004 07:08 PM