I know, I know. Super Tuesday is long past, and my last post is gathering as much dust as the Chef’s blog.
I’m sorry I’ve been out of touch, both on the Internets and in person. I’ve tried several times to write a new entry and post my opinions on the end of the writer’s strike (yay!), the likely demise of Friday Night Lights (boo!) and even my upcoming 30th birthday (we’re getting dolled up for a night at a Russian nightclub in Brooklyn.)
But I haven’t been able to talk about any of those things because I’ve been avoiding one big subject… my grandmother. About a month ago, Grandmother had emergency surgery to remove the colon cancer that had been quietly, insidiously demolishing her digestive tract.
The Chef and I flew to Tulsa and spent a week with my family at Grandmother’s bedside, alternately holding her hand, staring at the machines that go “ping!” and playing poker in the ICU waiting room. She is recovering from the surgery, but there’s nothing they can do about the advanced liver and pancreatic cancer they found last fall.
Leaving Tulsa was a hard decision. I’ve never felt so far away from home as I did when I called Grandmother’s hospital room the day after I left. It gets easier every time I call, but I still feel like I should be there, if only to fetch the nurse when it’s time for another popsicle.
I’m going back on Tulsa time next weekend to visit with Grandmother in a rehab wing of a different hospital. I’m bringing flowers and audio books to share with her. But I’ll be taking away something she loves dearly, her two lhasa apso dogs, Sophie and Maggie. John and I agreed to adopt them as our own, after she was gone, but we’re taking them in early since we don’t know when she might be able to leave the hospital for hospice at home.
I’ll be wrangling the dogs alone on this trip, so if anyone has any advice about flying with two nervous pups, I’d love to hear it.
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4 comments:
Are they going with you in the cabin? Because if not, it should be easy - they go in the special baggage compartment in their cases. I'm not sure about cabin - I've seen people carry animals onboard - but I'm not sure how it works. I'm sure they'll get there fine.
Oh, and if you want to talk to people about what you want to avoid, you know you can call us - even if you want to continue to avoid and talk to us about other things. We're good listeners.
My dad use to give doggie sedatives for people traveling with their pets???
Let me know if I can help you in anyway while you are in T-town. Big hugs to your Grandma.
Don't feel guilty about not being there everyday (although I know you will continue to). You have done the most important thing which is to love her all your life. She knows....
This is a situation no one was prepared for and I think you've been doing the best you can inside a constantly fluid situation. You are going to take wonderful care of those pups. Maybe a little peanut butter tucked inside a rubber ball will keep them distracted during the flight. Sophie would lick the ball until her tongue went numb in order to get every last bit of some pb. :)
how about an update ? I haven't smelled Maggie in two days now, and I have been oversleeping w/o Sophie's morning rituals.
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