Where did January go?

At least there's one thing we can all agree on – it's cold out there.  Did someone mention climate change?  Ooops, I guess we can't agree on it.

Still, it is brrr cold out there.  I walked out of a class yesterday and could barely make it to the parking lot, in the face of a squall of white-out.  And I was the youngest one in the class.  How was everyone else going to get to their cars?  You know you're in trouble when your plow guy gets stuck in your driveway (see photo.)

It's the last day of January, and it's been a lost month, especially for Mary.  Excruciating pain can do that for you.  She had one good week, recovering from the flu, before an inexplicable back pain surfaced, and got worse and worse.  And unimaginably even worse.  She lay on her back for the better part of two weeks, until she couldn't even do that.  Medicines, doctors' appointments, ambulance, MRI, blood test, opioids, and finally surgery.  And then she was smiling.

Thanks to everyone for calls, texts and well wishes.  She has a good support group here of swimmers and high school reconnections who came through. 

Family matters.  And it matters when there are medical people in the family.  Heather, John and Marilyn's daughter works in ER at Albany Medical, and she was instrumental in getting Mary an appointment and an early surgery date.  Thank you, Heather.

In the long hours of sitting around, my thoughts wandered to brother Andrew who has gone through this four times; to prehistoric people who must have just sat down with this kind of pain while the clan moved on; to people who live with chronic pain and become addicted to these meds; to caregivers who do this for years, and I was only on call for two weeks. 

We had meant to stay close to home for a month, but this was not how we planned to do it.  We started off cancelling short trips to Boston and to Ottawa, and then cancelled Mary's participation in our Gabon project this year (luckily we got travel insurance).  We are still determined to head to DC for a week of caregiving in February.

We were able to catch up on family matters as well.  Andrew and Lur braved the cold to go to a taping of Wait Wait Don't tell Me in Chicago.  They remain busy taking care of Lur's parents and watching Bill and Jen's children every now and then.  David and Paula are busy with their church activities, Paula working on church missions and David on a housing project for senior.  They see Everett and Donald quite a bit, and, oh yea, did you hear the cheering for Oliver and his acceptance at the University of Rochester!  Also, we also heard from Sean who, with Erin, is in the midst of honeymoon plans for South Africa.  I understand he is working on an arson case right now.  And where would I be were it not for Johanna's Twitter feed, which keeps me up to date on all things politics?  

Football is on everyone's mind, and I have to say I've been shocked at some of the family comments about the Patriots.  Can't we all just get along and root for the Patriots?  (I'm kidding.)  I got a book on the NFL for Christmas, and it ain't pretty.

Speaking of not pretty, how can I not mention the shutdown.  Margaret had to work and not get paid; Joe had to stay home and not get paid.  Not sure what happened to Jeffrey. 

Forgot to send out birthday wishes to Margaret and Jeffrey, last time around.  Hope you were glowing and laughing on your special days!

So, the weather is supposed to break, by April I hear.  The days are getting longer but not long enough.

Stay warm, and love from up here.