Testing the Waters

Hello Sewing Blogger World! I think things have settled enough in my life I might get a stitch or two in soon. But first, an update.

First off, my Mother is still alive. As a bit of background she contracted polio at 23 months and has had many accidents that required back surgery during the barbaric years of the 50's and 60's. Her entire spine is fused in the shape of an upside down question mark. And then a car accident broke her neck August 1rst, 1994. She relearned to walk after all that but now she is fighting post polio syndrome. A very severe case of it. Her last attack has left her unable to even move herself from bed to wheelchair and back. We have had to put her in a skilled nursing facility as the amount of care goes well beyond what our family can give her. And she is still considered a hospice patient. In amongst all this we have had to move my father and 20 years of their lives into the ground floor apartment of my mother-in-law's house.

I've spent a total of 42 hours in emergency rooms over two separate visits (One was 36 hours total). I know more about the medicaid system than I EVER thought I would and I will tell you I despise our bureaucracy with every fiber of my being. And before anyone tries to pin this on "Obamacare" let me point out that that bill has made it EASIER, not harder, according to the social workers I have been dealing with.

Mom is unhappy about being in an institution but we haven't been able to come up with any alternative that works. Particularly since we can't legally administer the amount of pain medication she needs at home. NONE of this has been easy to deal with, its been very hard and long and lots of tears have been shed. Lots of angry ranting. I have no idea what I would do without my amazing friends and family.

Mom told me to take most of her sewing stuff and now I have no idea where to put it. In amongst all this was two yards of a honeysuckle color silk dupioni and 6 yards of peach colored crepe-de-china. These have made their way into my spring/summer sewing plans.

The nursing home does not have phones in the rooms so I put her on my family plan and gave her a cell phone. This way she can contact us whenever she wants and that bit of connection helps a lot on both sides. She has told me she's proud of my sewing and wants me to keep at it. And of course still be a mother and wife and all those hats that I wear in my life.