I knew caring for my parents would be a lot of work, but I didn't imagine it would be as crazy as it's been.  I feel as if I took a one-way trip to Nutsville.  Don't get me wrong, it is an honor to care for them since they've always been so wonderful to care for me, but it's been a lot of hard work. 

Mom's surgery went well but she's been nauseated due to the anesthetic and her vision being "off."  She hasn't been able to sleep very well either so she's been miserable.  I finally talked her into trying some motion sickness meds last night and that did the trick.  She slept really well, thank goodness, so she had a better day today.  She's getting used to looking down and we joke about her identifying people by their shoes and that if she wants to go shopping, she will take care of the bottom shelves and I will take care of the top shelves.   

Dad has been nervous/anxious about Mom and that has made him feel unsettled and between all I had going (medication and meal schedules), it was tough to keep track of him.  Saturday afternoon, I thought he ran away and I freaked.  Earlier, he wanted to go for a walk but I told him he couldn't go alone.  He wanted his friend Ralph to take him but he wasn't home.  Dad headed out the door and I asked him to please, not go for a walk.  He responded, "I can go for a walk around my own back yard, can't I?"  Yeah, I guess he could!  About an hour later, I realized he didn't come in the house! 

I immediately went outside, looked around the yard and he wasn't there.  I looked around at the neighbor's houses and he wasn't there either.  I grabbed my car keys and drove around the block.  Ralph's wife, Betsy, was on her porch and I asked if she saw him but she didn't.  I finished driving around the block but didn't see him so I went home.  I sat in my car, crying, trying to think of what to do next.  A small voice told me to look in the spare bedroom (where he spends most his time) so I went in the house and there he was; in his recliner, happy as a clam.  I broke down crying and leaned against the door frame in relief and told him I lost him and thought he ran away.  He started to laugh (but felt SO bad I was crying) and told me he didn't have enough food to run away with. THEN I remembered that he did, in fact, come in the house because he asked me for my sisters phone number.  DUHHHH!  Mass hysterics because I forgot. 

I chalk it up to stress, utter exhaustion, and taking my meds late for three days.  I was so busy making sure they got their meds on time, I took my meds 2 - 3 hours late.  I didn't have any help either; my brothers and one sister came by for short "visits" but I didn't get any breaks.  I was still extremely upset and basically had a melt-down and called my oldest brother and told him I couldn't do it alone and needed some help - pronto.  He was working and couldn't do anything then my other brother called and he was working too - and I told him the same thing.  My sister Susie was due to arrive in about an hour and I think someone called her because she called and told (ordered me) to rest until she got there. 

Just as I sat down on my bed, my phone rang; it was Vickie.  She has a "feeling" to call me.  She had the pleasure of hearing me sob and whine and ended up making me laugh.  Thank you for that, my dear friend!!  I slept for about an hour then all was right with the world.

Sunday, Susie was a life-saver; she came over and she helped with dinner and clean-up duties and ordered me to take a nap.  She stayed most the afternoon and I had about three hours to myself.  I'm laughing about the whole melt-down now, thanks to my friends (thank you all!!!) as well as my dad.  Dad told me that he loses me and Mom at least ten times a day and I'm not alone.  :-)