That darned phone

On a more interesting and amusing note: I got my parents a cell phone. I mean, you never know, they have an emergency, their own phone goes out, they need to call a friend on while out shopping, whatever.

Do they use it? Nope. They now have used 76 of their 450 minutes a month. And they have 1341 minutes on rollover that they have not used.

I think its kind of amusing.

Also, mom is supposed to stay put, relax, not use her arm at all so that the wound from the surgery will heal. Has she? Of course not. How do you change the habits of a couple in their late 70s.

News just travel

Here in OKie land with my folks. Mom is recovering from her surgery and dad is trying to help, as much as he can (which some times makes for amusing moments since dad is the typical dad). Dad made some "asopao" with shrimp. Wow, the man can cook. Although his had a lot of rice.

Anyhow, the news. The numbers are down for dad, way down. But that was expected since he has started on the treatment.

Mom's has spread. She now has lymphoma. They have no idea what that meant. (Mom and Dad I mean)

I know what it means . . . now. It will be very difficult to get rid of it and we may be looking at a very short time around. The more I read, the worse the news gets.

I'll be here for two weeks taking care of them. Helping them out. Just being here. I need to spend time with them and realize, it won't be long now.

Sorry so grim.

Just a Saturday

I have so many little things to do for work and yet, I find time to add to my blog. I have been trying to get my car repaired. Nothing major, although you'd think it were due to the price. New tires yesterday. Checked on a new exhaust system ($400). But nothing can be done because the parts place is not opened on Saturdays. Instead, I took Federico (my dog) for a nice long walk and then took him to a doggie wash. Yes, an actual place to go take your dog for a wash.

He looks nice. Smells good. But now he is outside because he wants to lay in the dirt.

Wednesday I am headed over to Norman, OKie land. My family lives up there. Long story for that. I am going to take over taking care of my parents, or watching out for them, for my sister. See, both mom and dad have cancer. Dad's is prostrate. Mom's second bout is with breast cancer. Her first was colon cancer years ago. I don't have the latest details.

My parents are not very good at providing detailed information. Why? I don't know. My mother is VERY good at keeping information just so no one else worries. I still remember her telling me not to let my grandmother know what was going on at home so she wouldn't worry. Maybe she is doing that with me.

Luckily my sister, who lives nearby, keeps me in the loop with all the latest and what the doctors actually said.

Its hard to see them get old. My dad was pretty active overall. Now he shuffles and falls asleep so quickly.  Mom is still pretty active. She is still teaching. Although, for now, she won't teach a summer session at OU because of the surgery and recovery and treatment.

I am taking plenty of movies so we can enjoy the nights. I am also preparing myself mentally. As much as I love them, there are times . . . and I just keep reminding myself, they may not be here next summer. Somehow, that gives me more patience.

Puts things into perspective it does. It shows me what is really important. 

OK, hope to be able to keep up with this and that someone may be reading it. Or not.

Why?

So here I am pushing 50 and decided to share my life with whoever is out there.

Me? Cuban, American citizen, grew in Puerto Rico, have lived in Spain and England, Spanish teacher at a better to do high school in the ATX.

So why now? Well, I am seeing mortality in the face. As far back as I can remember, there were nights when the thought of me dying would make me jump out of bed and run around the house to keep it out of my mind. Yes, I do mean when I was little. I used to cry when my mom sang me to sleep because I knew some day she would die. Seriously, I did. 

Something about the whole Catholic heaven and hell maybe? Maybe. I am a Catholic. Probably will die one too.

Now, I am sincerely looking at it and seeing there is a bit more behind than ahead. Funny how that works. Yeah, those night thoughts do come by to visit and they do shake me up a bit. But I don't get up and walk around the house. I enjoy the bed too much now and just lay there, praying, thinking something else, listening to the new agey music that helps me sleep. Oh sure. with the advances medicine is doing now, you could live to 100. So I'm semi-officially middle aged now. Oopteedoo.

What makes all this even more delightfully weird is that, since I teach these teenagers, many of them (after they graduate) become my friends, hang out with me, and it all warps the way you see life. I do like them, by the way. I became a teacher because I like teenagers. Now that makes me weird, I know. But I do enjoy them. So much in fact that I am involved with the youth program at my church. Taught cathequism last year, doubt I'll do it this year. Way too much of a hassle. But I will be involved with retreats and youth group Sundays too.

At my age any new pain, I get to imagining it is something bad. My back hurts, could it be bad? Could it really be something else? Yeah, paranoia can easily set it.

Getting a semi foggy picture of me? Hope so. I'll be adding more as time goes on.

enjoy.