Month: December 2021

December 26, 2021 update

8:32am, in a hotel room, Valencia, CA, Sunday morning, December 26, 2021. Last night ended up being longer than expected. The patient who fell was transported to the hospital before our nurse arrived. The community did not have an update to share this morning so I slept until 6 before taking the dog on my favorite walk. After that, my daughter and I ate breakfast in the lobby with grandma before my wife got dressed and joined us.

Six Flags Magic Mountain, Valencia, CA

Christmas night 2021

8:19pm Pacific, Valencia, CA, at relatives, Saturday night, Christmas, December 25, 2021. We traveled north today and arrived shortly after 2pm. Dinner was Prime Rib with pie for dessert. I took mom to the hotel an hour ago then came back to watch a movie. Work called at 7:30pm (8:30pm Arizona time). A patient had a fall. The nurse who covers area is not answering her phone. I tried the clinical director but she didn’t answer. Finally the traveling nurse picked up. She is calling the community. I have not heard back from her on next steps.

Article about mom and Paradise, CA

7:18am, Christmas Day morning, Saturday, 2021. I have been crying my eyes out for the last half hour and forwarding this article to people. Here is the link when I am looking for it again someday. Bill Plaschke: https://www.latimes.com/sports/story/2021-12-25/christmas-bill-plaschke-mother-died-paradise-found-book I am glad my mom came out for Christmas this year. I can’t wait to read the Book

Christmas morning 2021

5:27am, Laguna Niguel, out with the dog, Saturday morning, December 25, 2021, Christmas Day. Woke up around 4:30am to set out the stockings and ‘Santa’ gifts. It is drizzling and wet, which means the usual morning walk questionable (The dog went to the groomers recently and shouldn’t get dirty) This afternoon we are driving north to celebrate Christmas with family.

Christmas Eve Night 2021

8:22pm, living room, Dana Point, CA, Friday night, December 24, 2021, Christmas Eve. Made it to Orange County around noon, dropped mom off at the hotel, took a quick nap and played video games with my daughter. Around 4pm we took the dog with us to Lake Forest to get mom for dinner and present opening. Then, one more trip to the hotel to drop mom off for the evening. Now we are sitting on the couch watching videos and talking.

On call tonight

12:06am, in my apartment in Chandler, Arizona, lying in bed, early morning December 24, 2021, Christmas Eve. The nurse working on call tonight had her car breakdown this morning. I offered to drive if she needed to go out. At 8:30pm two calls came in, a visit and a death call, both in the west valley. I just got back home. My mom and I will soon leave for Christmas in California, though a big storm is in Orange County and headed this way.

The WIL’s Birthday

8:50am, sitting in my truck outside my apartment, Chandler, Arizona, Thursday morning, December 23, 2021, two days before Christmas. I left my phone on the bed when I went to work this morning so I had to drive home to get it because the corporate security system won’t allow access to email without using two-step verification. I wasn’t upset I had to make the extra trip, the office is kind of boring right now. Today is the WIL’s birthday, which gives me mixed emotions. On one hand I am thinking about of her and everything we shared over the years. However, her birthday wasn’t typically a day we got to spend together since she often had plans with family and friends. I feel a million miles away from her right now. That breaks my heart because I miss her terribly, yet if I am honest, I am thankful for the reprieve.

Running errands

5pm, parking lot in chandler, Arizona, Wednesday evening, December 22, 2021, three days until Christmas. My mom wanted to go to the wholesale outlet to buy water, paper towels and a bag of chocolate candy. It wasn’t too crowded but, as we were leaving, my wife texted, suggesting we pick up snacks for Christmas Eve. I am in the car waiting while my mom goes back in.