Well, i'm alive. I still don't have a computer that can handle Dragon naturally speaking, But David's cell phone has a voice to text application. It's kind of a pain in the butt to correct, So please pardon any mistakes.

I'm trying to learn how to walk on the prosthetic leg. It's also a pain in the ass. I just wish someone could tell me that one day I be able to walk on it without every step being excruciatingly painful. All the physical therapist say, "It Will get a little better."

I was hoping for something a little more… Positive?

My aunt and I had a major falling out. Mom has been in a nursing home since practically last Thanksgiving. I took her some family pictures, including pictures of her parents. I told my aunt I made copies for her, her daughter, and her grandchildren. Now being in a wheelchair, I don't get out much. My aunt, instead of coming over here and picking up the copies, Took my mother's pictures. Mom was very upset and almost immediately got sick and went into the hospital. There, she begged me, tearfully begged me, to take all the rest of the family photos home. She said that people get jealous if you have something they want, and they'll steal it.

I could've taken one of the copies up to mom, but I had no frame and a couple weeks went by before I could see her again. During that time the car broke down. I couldn't get out to get any picture frames. And I felt my aunt should be honorable and return the pictures without getting nagged into it. So I didn't call my aunt, because I didn't want to bitch at her. During that time, she was pulling out of the parking space and thought her car was in reverse and, oopsie, it was in drive. The car was totaled, but she walked away relatively unscathed. She called and told David, Primarily because I was avoiding her, but she didn't say to have me call her back. So I didn't.

Move ahead a couple weeks, and my mother called from the nursing home. She wanted me to come get her because my cousin was in ICU on life support. For someone my aunt continually says has Alzheimer's, She got the details remarkably fine. My uncle had visited her the day before with two of his grandchildren and told her that then. My aunt didn't call because she's mad at me for getting upset over the pictures.

Isn't there a family rule somewhere that states when someone is nearly dead, you put old arguments aside. Suppose my mother had died and I didn't bother to tell her about it? So, even though we are all making nice now, I'm still a little pissed.

Maybe more than a little.

My cousin has a cancerous tumor at her throat. With chemo and radiation, and possibly surgery, she should make a full recovery. So that's good news. She is currently recuperating at my aunt and uncles house and even though she has a trach and a G-tube, she's up and about and basically self-care. When I talk to my aunt last, she told me she was exhausted and said, "You do not know how hard it is to take care of someone."

Nope. I wouldn't have a freaking clue.

Try taking care of two people who are bedbound. And one of those has no control over bowel or bladder - and guess which one has diarrhea? Now, do that on crutches with a badly infected foot, Kidney stones and the fatigue of fibromyalgia. Add into that a few other conditions and symptoms. Then talk to me about how hard it is to take care of someone.

On the bright note, I have a guardian angel after all. She sent me Mary. Mary's been helping get the house in order and take me to PT and David to his various doctors visits. In the meantime, she works on the house. The kitchen is about 97% done. I don't mean cleaned, though it is clean, but organized to my specifications. Most of the major repairs have been completed. And I have hopes for the living room and the dining room.

The Social Security determination and eligibility board once again deemed me eligible for "significant" work. However, they did make the mistake of stating that they upheld the 2002 decision that my previous job was beyond my ability and that I'm no longer capable of doing it. My previous job was working in group health, and working on the phone and the computer. What work could be less strenuous? Speedbump? Pot hole filler? Doormat? So I have an attorney who finds the whole process amusing. He is supposed to be the best in this area. here's to hoping.

There's so much more I want to say, but I'm afraid my battery is going. I've missed LiveJournal and my friends here and wonder if one day I'll ever be allowed to finish any of my writings? I've got two original stories brewing and I've been tempted to write a short piece on the zombie apocalypse. Giving it my usual spin.

I've got to let my neighbors three Legged cat out so he can greet his girl. That is a story in itself. All I have to do now is to master the application for LiveJournal. And I'm on Facebook.

Sometimes, it was the thought of getting back in touch with all my friends, that made these past few months worth living. Consider yourselves touched.

Uh, But not in an inappropriate way. :-)