Rachel

[Marisa6826]

What's the latest on your Dad??

Has he done any better on the meds?

-m

[Marisa6826]

bump

[Rachels]

Thanks for asking, Marisa. He is doing okay. He was released from the hospital after 24 hours with no exact diagnosis. They think his heart kind of spasmed, but he didn't have a heart attack. He has some blockage in an artery somewhere-- up to 30% but not more. They're not going to treat that but will watch it very closely and will treat it if it gets worse. He is going to have a follow-up EKG on Monday. He is mainly feeling totally wiped out from all the drugs they pumped into him, and was too under the weather to come up this weekend as planned. I'm bummed about that-- he was headed here to celebrate Abigail's birthday-- but I'd obviously rather he not travel when he's not feeling well.

I'm just really missing my family this week. It's hard to live so far away.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

"We have a secret in our culture...it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong!!" - Laura Stavoe Harm

[Calmegja2]

((((((HUGS)))))))

I'm sorry it's rough. My family is 4 hours away, and sometimes it just sucks, especially when things are rough.

I'm holding a good thought that all is well soon with your dad.

[barbarhow]

Rachel-so glad that your Dad is doing better but sorry that he wasn't able to be with you guys for Abigail's big day.
It is hard to be from family at times like these.

[Marisa6826]

Awww, well I'm sure Grandpa was there in spirit.

It's good that they verified it wasn't a heart attack. Are they going to try to stent him or just do drug therapy for the foreseeable future?

I know how hard it is to be far from family. I just got off the phone with my brother who is currently living in Saudi Arabia. I miss him terribly.

Thinking about you.

-m

[Rachels]

Just drug therapy now-- there's nothing that needs treatment yet. It's just scary, though.

As for the far from family stuff, that is REALLY hard. When my mom left this week, I was sad, but Abigail was devastated. She sobbed (BIG tears, quivering lip), and shouted, "Mosie come back! Mosie come back!" until the car was out of sight. It just did me in. It was hard enough when it was just my own grief and loneliness that I needed to navigate, but now that I see it really affecting my daughter, it's simply crushing. I have felt truly awful for a few days now.

Fortunately, Clay's new business has taken off and is so far going really well. If it continues to do that, we'll be able to consider moving when my stepson heads to college. He's finishing ninth grade now, so we're not talking about a million more years. I just can't picture myself living here forever, and I don't want this to be where I raise my child, so having that goal on the horizon is helpful. Especially with this stuff with my dad and Abby's grief at being apart from my mom, I just don't want to be this far away anymore. It's REALLY hard.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/knit.gif

"We have a secret in our culture...it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong!!" - Laura Stavoe Harm

[Marisa6826]

Awww. Poor Abby :(.

I didn't realise you had a stepson. Three years isn't that far away. You're in Boston, right? Where is the rest of your family?

Unfortunately, Sophie really doesn't have a relationship with any of our family. Either they're mentally unstable (my Mother) or just not emotionally available (Jonathan's side of the family). My FIL provides financially very well for all his grandchildren, but he's literally seen Sophie less than a dozen times and he lives 20 minutes away.

It particularly bothers me because my grandparents essentially raised me and my brother. I mourn the fact that Sophie will never have a "Nanny and Poppy" like we did.

All I can say is thank God for good family friends. She will at least know that she's always loved through them.

Chin up, you will get through this.

hugs

-m

[Rachels]

Yep, my stepson is 15 today. :) I've been with DH for nine years, so Corbin was pretty little when I met him. He doesn't come up too much here because step-parenting a 15 year old and parenting a baby are wildly different prospects. But he's a sweetie, and Abby adores him.

My parents and some of my closest friends are in NC, so I'd love to go there. My sister and Clay's familiy are in NYC, but we don't want to be there. :)

I did have amazing grandparents, but my parents were divorced and my mom's community of friends was an integral part of the village that raised me. I had a pretty idea situation for a kid with divorced parents (saw my dad every day, my parents were devoted to coparenting, etc.), but my village was critical. I really love them, and Sophie will love hers.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.mothering.com/discussions/images/smilies/knit.gif

"We have a secret in our culture...it's not that birth is painful, it's that women are strong!!" - Laura Stavoe Harm