Friday, April 17, 2009

Vacation's over - so is my weekend it would seem...

Pete is having troubles with his right leg. He's tired, it's not responding properly, he's worried it might be an MS attack starting and he might not be able to drive. Oh and he's 450 miles away from home in western PA.

He was going to drive home on Saturday or Sunday. Now he is not sure if he will be able to.

I'm firing up the brain power to figure the best way to handle this - and it makes sense that I fly from Albany to Pittsburgh on Southwest for $150 one way. Someone picks me up there and I drive both of us home. OR someone there drives him (and has a follower to take them back home) about 200 miles and I meet them halfway (and bring my dad to drive car #2). Will cost me about the same in gas as flying out to get him.

Flying makes sense.

I really wish I didn't have to do this at all. I had plans for Saturday that included sleeping in, working in the yard, singing in church at 5pm and going straight to my sisters for a Celebrating Home Party where I would actually earn money hopefully.

Instead it looks like I'll be getting up at 3:30am to leave for the airport by 4:30 to get there at 5:30 and get on a 6:15 flight. Arriving in Pittsburgh at 10am driving an hour back to the small town he's in. Then jumping in the car and driving another 7.5 hours go get home in the evening. At least maybe I can sleep on Sunday?

I'm just praying that if he takes it easy and rests he'll see he is just tired and it's not really an MS attack.

Probably wishful thinking.

9 comments:

Tricia said...

Another option - ask husband's 19 year old cousin to drive him home - buy plane ticket for youngster and send him home on Sunday.

I don't have to cancel anything and hubby gets home safe and sound.

Cost is the same in $$ but I get another day of peace instead of insanity.

Tricia said...

And now the 19 year old is not a good idea but I'm pissed at how I was informed of this.

He hasn't driven in heavy traffic or on interstates much so they don't think it's a good idea. FINE I totally understand and will go get my husband.

BUT here is how it went down. Hubby mentioned the idea to his aunt (kids grandmother) who apparently thinks this is a very bad idea but can't just tell him that? Instead she calls my husband's mother and bitches about how it was my idea to do this and I should just come get him. So my mother-in-law just called me at work and got very bossy with me and said something like this:

"Boy has not driven on those kinds of highways and he cannot drive Pete home, you need to just get on a plane and go get him and drive him home."

Then she proceeded to yell at me for letting him go in the first place and how he has no business making trips like this alone.

As if I had anything to say about it? He wants to go, he has a car, he's an adult, he doesn't have anywhere else to be, and I'm going to tell him NO?

She says his aunts in PA have noticed how much worse he is than last time, they think he's really getting bad - I guess it is more drastic when you don't see him every day. But this is not news to me I know how bad it is getting.

As for my MIL well I wish she knew what kind of hell my life is becoming lately. I wish she seemed to care how much time and energy I'm putting into taking care of her son's needs. I wish she knew and cared how he is fighting me every step of the way 90% of the time. How every tiny argument turns into a screaming fight with him telling me to get a lawyer. I just wish she knew...

Cranky said...

Tricia - sorry to hear about how events are shaping up. Any chance your husband could drive himself but split it up over a couple of days?

You might want to look into hand controls to ensure his continued independence when he gets back from PA. Skip had them 20 years ago (at the time cost $500 to buy/install). Very easy to use.

Queen-Size funny bone said...

sorry your time alone is being cut short. Hope he will recover with some rest. Drive carefully.

Diane said...

ah...family in law...*sigh*

Best of luck - hope you had safe travels!

Jennifer McKenzie said...

Sending you positive thoughts. I hope it all works out for you. And I'm sorry about your In laws honey. They're certainly not making it easy for you.
Ugh.

Anonymous said...

I'm sorry, darlin. I don't know why she was so crabby with you, and you absolutely deserve some credit here.

*krystyn* said...

Sorry to hear about your weekend. Sucks. totally! I think you should set the MIL straight - give her an eyeopener at least. She sure sounds UNappreciative.

Shelby said...

Tricia, this situation bites. I often run into the same sorts of criticism. Basically it boils down to me not taking good enough care of my husband in OTHER people's opinions -- you know the people who AREN'T HERE. My husband CAN'T travel without me so in our case it generally boils down to him refusing to go for his doctor's appointments. ARGH.

I'm sorry your weekend got screwed -- people never seem to think that the person LIVING WITH the person who is disabled or chronically ill needs a break too.

Let us know how it shook out and how you're doing.