The whole family in one place at the same time!

[Heidi S]

Christmas Eve Family Dinner at Dad's retirement residence in Burnaby.

Mike, Heidi, Colin, Stewart Betty, Helen and Ralph.

Bride and Groom

My Dad and his only Grandchild

Me! Just a little tired after the raging flu last week, and a long drive to the Coast.

Wishing you a wonderful Christmas Day with your family, friends and furbabies! Here's to a happy and healthy 2013 to all!

[davefrombc]

A very Merry Christmas to you and yours Heidi.

[Lizcordysmum]

VERY nice!

My family pictures ...most of us have four legs and a tail!

Merry Christmas, Heidi!

[LeeInEdmonton]

Best wishes for the coming New Year Heidi. It is nice to see a family all in one place & those are pics that you want to keep.

Lee

[B_BQ]

I'm a bit late, (been busy! ), but I'm very happy you got there safe and sound.
Hope everything has gone really well there. Safe trip back and I hope that the house is not too disastrous!
~BBQ

[Heidi S]

Wedding is done, and went well - not too many glitches! We will be up at 5 am to get our son to the airport for his flight home as he works at 4pm. Have a meeting with Dad's Home Health caseworker tomorrow to discuss his care plan, and a family meeting with Mom-in-law and the rest to go over her palliative care plan. Then, all things going as planned, Mike and I head back home on Sunday.

Oh, to be at home in our own bed, and enjoying the quiet of our little family!

Thanks for all your best wishes, it has been a worthwhile trip, if a bit sad with our frail and failing parents. But its also been a good opportunity to take care of them while we can, and to know they are being cared for as they fade away.

[Lizcordysmum]

It is Monday now...I hope you travelled safely home.

Happy New Year!

Liz

[Heidi S]

Sadly, Liz, we are still here. Mom-in-law is in hospital as of yesterday for a review of her hip pain that started on Christmas Day and didn't get better. She finally agreed to go to hospital by ambulance and was admitted last night.

We had thought she might have cracked her hip, but none showed on the x-ray. However, a 'lesion' did, which means the cancer has moved into the hip bones. She gets a bone scan tomorrow and then will get 10 days of radiation of the area. This has worked before in her other bone cancer areas, so we are hopeful that she is made comfortable again. Right now we think we might go home on Wed, but that is up in the air. Mike has to be back in the classroom starting on the 7th so he has to get back sooner rather than later.

Meanwhile we had the meeting with Dad's caseworker and they are increasing his personal care services next week. Sometimes you just have to ask and talk about what's working and what isn't and they will make adjustments where possible. They really want to support him in the senior's home vs. hospital for as long as possible, and are working hard to find ways to do that. As long as it works, we will take that plan first. Best of all, he feels somewhat better about things.

[Lizcordysmum]

Heidi, very good news about your Dad's care...let us hope for the very best. A good thing you were there, to ask, talk to people, advocate for your Dad.

And I am so sorry about your Mom, that's a blow. Again, hoping for best possible outcome. My hope is that she keeps comfortable.

(you likely know by now that I am running a day ahead of the rest of yez...however, I am VERY glad you didn't go home whilst the problems on the highway were going on...downed wires, highways closed, detours...accidents. When you DO get away, I very much hope it goes as smoothly as possible.)
\
You'll stay in my thoughts till you are home with your feet up.

Be strong.

((((................))))
Liz

[Heidi S]

We are home in PG as of 9 pm Wednesday. Drive was good, weather was agreeable, and not too many bad drivers in our way.

Mike and I spent an hour or so with Mom-in-law, Pat, before hitting the highway just before 10 am and she was feeling better.

We managed to have a conversation with 2 of her doctors and they are working on solving some short term problems and getting her either out of hospital or at least into a more comfortable situation. We hear this morning she has been moved to the palliative ward, which is a much calmer and more relaxed setting, with single bed rooms vs. 3 bed wards, and they will be working on stabilizing her comfort.

Got my work schedule for the next few weeks and we will be resuming normal activities for the short term as of today. Happy pets are fighting to get on my lap as I type - must go make nice with them all. Like toddlers, they feel slighted easily, especially after being left behind for almost 2 weeks.

And the big pet, our son, was also very giddy to see us when he came home from work at 10:30. We are such a clannish bunch - everyone wants to be together!

Happy New Year to everyone,