I'm Still Here but He's Here Too!!

The crown on his head is courtesy of Rochelle. By the time I brought him home, they had a welcome home sign on the front door as well.

That, for Ray, is a smile. Trust me, he's very happy to be sitting in his rocker instead of propped up in a hospital bed.

I picked him up around 5 or so this afternoon, just in time to feed him dinner at home. He has a bewildering array of new medications for me to figure out. They've put in a new (to us) system with his meds.

They use the computer printout of what he's been taking in the hospital and check the meds he's supposed to take at home, complete with instructions. Big improvement. Before, all the instructions were handwritten on his discharge papers. We got the carbon copy, usually illegible.

They've added xanax to the mix. We'll see how it goes but he doesn't do terribly well with that sort of thing. I hope it works - anything to eliminate stress is probably okay.

Sometime later tonight or tomorrow, I'll take a look at all the meds with the side effects, etc. We already know they prescribed two different meds that do the same thing so I'll check on that. His nurse noticed that one.

We've eaten dinner and, homework is done except for Elcie finishing up her spelling. I have a kitchen to deal with. Later. I'm keeping track of what he eats so we can see what works and what doesn't. Ray is happily watching Law & Order, CI and waiting for the house to quiet down so he can watch the Friday Sci-Fi lineup I taped for him. I tuned it out once, I can tune it out again.

I've been starting and stopping. Elcie's in bed and R & R are right behind. I still haven't cleaned the kitchen; I helped Elcie with math instead. She is beginning to do the "powers". 4 to the 2nd or 3rd power, etc. She seemed to get it once we went through a few problems together except she couldn't remember the word "power". Cubed threw her at first but not now. Square root will probably be next which means I'll have to drag out the book or go online. I've forgotten how to calculate the larger numbers. I haven't used it since high school. Have any of you? Without a calculator?

Thanks for all the nice comments about my peacefully sleeping "angels" and the other kind words and thoughts about my family. I hope I responded to all of you, one way or the other.

Granny Insanity, I just noticed I hadn't answered your earlier comment about No Child Left Behind and the Pentagon. Yes, I did know schools are required to provide information under NCLB and I also know that even though a parent can "opt out" the Pentagon keeps other records for the same purpose. I've posted on it over on Is America Burning but it's been a while.

How many more ways can I find to avoid the kitchen?

I'm planning to take the girls to San Francisco on Saturday and Sunday to visit friends. It's been in the works for a while. I thought about postponing but, when I mentioned it Ray, he was upset that I would even thinking of staying home. My daughter is here, my older son Jim is on notice, and my coffee drinking and card playing friend Dawn is a block away with a car. I have a cell phone and I'll make sure he has my friends' numbers as well. It should be fun for all of us. Tim and I went to a concert in the city late last year and I think that's the last time I've been out of Merced except for Ray's hospital stay in Modesto (which doesn't count as a good time somehow).

I'll know for sure by Saturday morning when I'm driving off in the van. It was supposed to be a surprise for the girls but first my son Tim blurted it out to Elcie (I forgot to warn him) and then Rebecca eavesdropped on my friend's conversation. I don't like to tell them ahead so they won't be disappointed if it falls through. No sense four of us being unhappy.

They wanted to pack on Wednesday evening (another reason I don't usually tell them ahead of time) and again tonight. I held firm on tomorrow. I'll have their sleeping bags washed and they can select their own wardrobe (just not all of it please - it's only two days).

It's almost ten, the dishes haven't done themselves, and I can't think of one more way to avoid them unless my phone rings.

Have a good evening, morning, or whatever it is whereever you are.