The Last Time

This time last year, I was in Chicago.  I had a ball.  I shopped.  I had tea with one of my favorite colleagues (who left the company shortly after). 

We worked hard, then at night, went to dinner and played hard. 

The weather was perfect, the people were nice, and it was such a fun happy time.  I came home with a ton of happy memories, several deep dish pizzas in a cooler bag, one of my favorite dresses I've ever owned, and a lot of bath bombs from Lush.

It's sort of embedded now in my memory as "the last time before it went to hell".

And that's probably not fair or true but here's basically what went down after that:

One week later, Dad had his stroke and I went to Atlanta.  Then my sister got there.

Dad went into rehab #1. 

My sister and I went home.

I went to Texas

We found out my sister and her family would be moving to Japan.

I went to a Halloween party.

I went down to see him on my birthday.  Mom and I had breakfast together. 

Dad went into rehab #2.

I went to Illinois.

I went to Texas.

I went to Wisconsin.

I visited Atlanta.

I went to Texas.

I went to Louisiana

Thanksgiving with Mom, Dad and Matt.  Disasterous.

I got Mirena.  That actually turned out to be amazing.

I went to Alaska.

 Christmas with Mom, Dad and Matt.  Dad cried when he had to go back to rehab.  Disasterous.

I went to Texas.

I went to Texas.

Dad got out of rehab, and Mom became his full-time healthcare worker.  And I felt terrible.

I went to Nevada.

I visited Mom and Dad and realized Mom was in over her head.

I went to Texas.  And we went to the rodeo.  It was awesome and fun.

I went to Texas.  Again.

I went home to visit.   I decided to stay an extra day.

We took Dad to the doctor.  I decided to stay another day.  Our friend Bev suggested we get my sister to Atlanta, stat.

Dad went to the ER.  I decided I'd be in Atlanta for awhile.

Dad went into the hospital.

Dad went into ICU.

Dad left the hospital, and came home to hospice.

My sister arrived.

Dad died.  I found him.

Matt arrived.

My brother-in-law and nephew arrived.

We had a "celebration of life".

My sister and her family went home.

Matt went home.

I came home.

I went to Alaska.

I went to Wisconsin.

I went to California.

I went to New York.

I cried in the car in New York.

I went to East Tennessee.

I went to the doctor and found out my liver was jacked up.

I went to Colorado.  It sucked, even though it was supposed to be awesome.

I went to Pennsylvania.

I went to Washington.

I went to the cabin and had a meltdown.

I went to Arizona.

I went to North Carolina.

I went to the cabin for the 4th of July Weekend and we had a second memorial for Dad.  I was not re-elected to the board of directors.

My sister and her family moved to Japan.

I went to Oklahoma.

I went to Missouri.

I went to Kentucky.

I went to California.

I went to the doctor and found out my liver is not jacked up anymore.

I have spent the last four weeks in the office wishing I could be anywhere - even Texas sounds good.

My entire department got re-orged.

Jesus.  No wonder I'm tired.

Mostly of Texas, as it turns out.

Well, I have a few trips coming up, and a birthday and some other fun things.

Maybe it's time to have some new happy times.

ae