I think I'm getting closer to getting this one done...

"It was the best of times and it was the worst of times..." I'm not really sure that is the exact quote but you get my drift. This describes my day.

Today, I finished all the academic stuff related to graduate school. All papers in. Finals taken. I'm D-O-N-E...done. Sometimes I think of a doctorate. Today it is the farthest thing from my mind. I have paperwork to complete and turn in for my practicum but that is nothing compared to the academics. Paperwork I can handle.

So, that is supposed to feel good and be a huge relief but....

My mother-in-law (MIL) was back in the hospital today. With blood the consistency and color of tomato paste in her urine, it was back to the ER for what turned out to be a really bad bladder infection. She was admitted late this afternoon and will spend a couple of days on antibiotics and fluids until the infection clears and she's feeling better. My husband will be spending that couple days with her as well. He is there tonight and we'll spend the night in her room. She was not up for being back to that picking hospital. She was in good company because my husband and I are done with that flipping hospital as well. We've been back there now three times since her stroke!

I gave her a bad time today that I just told her last week after she had her G-tube put in that we were done with that place. I came into the ER today with hands on my hip and the question, "So, what happened? Didn't we have a deal?" She shrugged her shoulders, gave me the "I don't know" look and her good arm came up to make the motion, "Well, what are we going to do but sit and take it." She then snickered and gave me the best smile and laugh. I've never seen her smile and laugh as often as I've seen it since she had her stroke.

The person who really came unglued today with this trip back to the hospital is my husband. Naturally he has been worried beyond belief and beside her every step of the way. It felt a step back for us all and a big sucker punch to our little plan of her getting better, us getting the house ready and waiting for the time she would be ready to come home. All that is still in the works and will happen but it was the straw that broke the camels back today for James. My MIL is feeing good on a couple of Vicodin and I'm now at home but he is continuing to burn the candle at both ends. One side for him and one side for his mom. The poor guy is really feeling it and I feel so helpless. It all just sucks.

The bright side. I'm still flipping done with graduate work. My sister and mom are coming to town on Friday. My MIL will get better and is already feeling much better with some meds, fluids and antibiotics. My husband will come through as he always does. It's just going to take time for all of us to come up from the continual tidal wave of life. We'll get there. We all come from tough stock. MIL is Irish. James is Mexican-Irish. I'm English. Stubborn blood runs through and with God's continued grace, we will prevail. No stroke, bladder infection, care giving demands, graduate school demands and all the unknown that is yet to be seen will get us down for long.