Relapse

No, not like the Eminem album. Though that is a good album. No, I'm talking about a bit of a relapse in all these lovely changes I'd been making these last few months. You know how when one bad thing happens, it seems that at least 2 more bad things happen right away? In fact, I think one of my first blogs was about bad things coming in threes. Well, it just happened again these last couple of weeks. I have a bit of an anxiety issue. So while I can cope on good days, I just can't control it on bad days.

Remember that nice hypnotherapy I did to stop biting my fingernails? Ah, it worked like a charm! And it was such a relief. And I wasn't embarrassed anymore. Let's just say I relapsed. And here's why...

First, my grandmother starting losing it. Okay, she's been losing it for a while now. But now it's bad. And that upset my mom a lot. It's hard for her to deal with it. I won't elaborate much, because my mom wouldn't want me to. So anyway, Nana had to be moved to a different facility.

The week mom was trying to figure that all out, we found out my mother in law needed a pacemaker. This, after only a year and a half or so after bypass surgery. So you see the pattern forming...right?

A few days before we were headed to my mom's to help move Nana, my truck started having trouble. I'd taken it in for an oil change. I picked it up later that day and went to Target on my lunch break. When I came back out to the parking lot, my car wouldn't start. It didn't even try. It was dead as a doornail. (whatever that means.) So I was then stranded in the Target parking lot in 100 degree heat, trying to find someone to help me. Finally a kind gentleman got me jumpstarted - after about an hour and a half of being out there. I went directly to Napa to buy a new battery. Took it home, hubby replaced the battery. Turned the key. Nothing. So after several expletives, we jumpstarted it again and I took it back to the shop I'd had it at for the oil change. They called me the next day and told me it was the alternator. They replaced it. It wouldn't start. They replaced it again. Wouldn't start. Oh, they tell me, it's the computer. We can't help you. You need to take it to the Isuzu dealership. And there's no Isuzu dealership in Richmond anymore. And yes, they charged me for the oil change, the labor for putting the alternator(s) in, and for charging up the battery so I could drive it off their lot. Oh and we'd bought the second alternator ourselves because it was cheaper that way. And Napa won't take it back. So now we're like $500 into repairs with no repairs completed. And the car's worth about $1500 on a trade in. And the computer repair could be $1000. So. Yeah.

Luckily within a week, a friend of mine found a buyer for the broken Trooper. Its out of my hair now. Though we're a car short. Perfect timing that we needed to go to mom's that next weekend to help with Nana - because we were able to borrow their extra car.

And we've spent two weekends traveling. I'm tired. And it's not over. But one good piece of news...my mother in law had the pacemaker put in late last week and she's doing fine. She may be back to work in a week, even!

So. Lessons learned that I'd like to pass on to you. Number 1: Old people will develop dementia eventually. Buy a self help book to learn how to cope. Number 2: Heart problems suck. Take care of yourself. Number 3: Always have an extra car if you can afford it - because when one dies, it will probably die without warning. Number 4: If you're going to give me bad news, please first wrap my fingers in plaster of paris so I won't chew my nails down to the cuticle. Thanks.

Yes, I'm going to try the hypnotherapy again. Soon.