Sunset

My mom texted on Thursday.

Grandma is in the hospital. She had a heart attack earlier this morning. Plan on doing the catheter thing tomorrow. Prognosis is not good. Your sister says she's very confused and has a slamming headache. I hope you can make time to see her.

Naturally, the mental arguments begin. Why do I need to get this news secondhand, via my mother who is 2000 miles away, rather than my dad, 25 miles away. Or my sister, who most likely told my mom in the first place? Do I text my sister for more info, or my dad? If I text Dad, it’s going to be all business, but there’s the risk he’ll want some sort of “life update”. If I text my sister, she might give me more info, but she may also want to chat. On Thursday, after having a day off with a long workout that barely dulled the edge of my now constant anxiety, either of those options was the last thing I really wanted to deal with.

He came home from work and was prying his feet out of his steel toe boots when I told him, “um, my grandmother had a heart attack and is at [hospital name].”

“Which one?”

Fun fact: I only have one grandmother. He immediately realized how ridiculous the question was, and at least we both got a laugh.

On Friday, I went to visit Grandma. I picked him up from work on my way to the hospital, and he sat in the car while went in, secure in the knowledge he wouldn’t be welcome if any family was there at the same time. She’s fine. We had a talk about him, and the legal issues coming up. While I’m a bit pissed that the people who know the whole story have been talking to her about it, I’ll about it was good to be able to chat with someone who knows what’s going on and doesn’t immediately jump into “WHY ARE YOU STILL LIVING WITH HIM WHY IS HE EVEN BAILED OUT”.

*sigh*

I just want all this to be gone.